As I was wandering about last Saturday in Prince William County, I was thrilled to spot my first flower on a Mountain Laurel shrub (Kalmia latifolia). I had been noticing lots of buds during recent trips, but this was the first one that I spotted that was open. I think there may be cultivated versions of mountain laurel, but it is naturally found on rocky slopes and in mountain forest areas, which was exactly the environment that I was exploring.
I simply love the shape, colors, and pattern of the gorgeous flowers of this plant. After I published this post, I decided to add a second photo, one that shows the unopened buds of a mountain laurel, their additional beauty waiting to be revealed.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Nice, Mike. I always look forward to these but last year was a disappointment as not many had nice displays unlike the previous year. Hoping for a good year.
Do you kniw about their spring loaded pollination mechanism?
Darn fat fingers on this tiny phone keyboard. 😒
I’ll be checking for some displays later this spring–I am really growing to like my mountain hangout with the forest and the streams.
I think this was the state flower of Pennsylvania, although I hardly ever saw one. These are beautiful photos.
Thanks, Dan. I checked it out and learned that in 1933 the Governor of Pennsylvania named the mountain laurel the state flower. Each state seems to have its own process for deciding on things like the state flower, the state bird, and the state butterfly. In my experience you have to be in a specific kind of mountain habitat to find mountain laurel growing.
I guess it works, given where Harrisburg is situated in the state
These are quite different from our mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora ), which is in the pea family and which has pretty purple flowers. Our mountain laurel’s known for its bubble gum-like scent; is yours fragrant as well?
Wow. I checked out your Texas mountain laurel and it sure is different from ours. I have never smelled ours, though one website called its aroma “delicious.” The same site warns that mountain laurel is poisonous, even to the touch. (https://www.doityourself.com/stry/poisonous-plants-the-dangers-of-mountain-laurel-flowers).
Great photos as always, stellar framing Mike!
I love mountain laurel too. There are a lot of them at Seneca Creek St Pk, along the Pepco power line and between the Great Seneca Trail and creek. Last year, we noticed that many of the leaves looked spotted from some disease. This year, we have noticed that a lot of the bushes have no buds. I wonder what’s going on.
I have one in my yard that was planted 70 plus years ago, and I love it, but there is nothing like seeing on whole group on our local mountain!
Since the time I posted that image, the mountain laurel has really burst out and covered large areas of the slopes of the hills in that park–a glorious sight indeed.