Kalmia angustifolia L.
Sheep laurel
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Asteridae A large class that encompasses asters
Order Ericales Tea, persimmon, blueberry, Brazil nut, azalea, many others
Family Ericaceae Heath or heather family
Genus Kalmia Named by Linnaeus to honour his friend the Finnish botanist Pehr Kalm
Species angustifolia Having narrow foliage
About plant names...
Sheep laurel is native to North America.
Plants: Sheep laurel is 6-36″ (15-91 cm) tall, spreading
wider over time. A unique identifying feature of this
plant is that each stem is terminated by 3-leaf clusters rather than flowers; the flowers grow in clumps
along the stem instead.
Leaves: Oval, with smooth edges, yellow-green or blue-green in
color, 1-2″ (2.5-5 cm) long and about ½-1¼″ (1.3-3.2 cm) wide. The leaf undersides are pale.
Flowers: A beautiful bright pink color, occurring
in clusters of about 10-30, each about ⅜-½″ (9.5-12 mm) across.
Fruits: Fruits are light brown, small capsules with five
sections.
Edibility: Poisonous This plant is highly toxic to
sheep as well as people, and can be fatal to either. Toxic ingredients include andromedotoxin
and arbutin .
Online References:
The University of Connecticut Plant Database
The Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants
The Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database
6/2/2016 · Townsend Wildlife Management Are, Townsend, Massachusetts
6/8/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 5″ (9.2 × 13 cm)
5/25/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm)
6/21/2017 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)
6/8/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)
This looks like a cultivar. · 6/22/2017 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
7/12/2015 · Mt. Kearsarge, Wilmot/Warner, New Hampshire · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 15 cm)
8/22/2020 · Kettle Hole Bog, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
6/8/2012 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm)
Kalmia angustifolia description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 23 Aug 2020.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
6/2/2016 · Townsend Wildlife Management Are, Townsend, Massachusetts
6/19/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine
6/21/2017 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 15 cm)
8/22/2020 · Kettle Hole Bog, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
6/17/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Nashoba Hospital, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
7/12/2015 · Mt. Kearsarge, Wilmot/Warner, New Hampshire · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 15 cm)
9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm) ID is uncertain
9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm)
6/21/2017 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (14 × 10 cm)
This looks like a cultivar. · 6/22/2017 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)
5/30/2015 · Townsend Wildlife Area · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
7/12/2015 · Mt. Kearsarge, Wilmot/Warner, New Hampshire · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
9/26/2016 · Henry E. Cowdrey Nature Center, Lunenberg, Massachusetts
Range:
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