Mountain Laurel.mp4

Mountain laurel puts on a spectacular show in the early summer usually beginning the first week in June. This woody evergreen shrub likes to grow in somewhat open areas like along the Limberlost trail, Dundo Overlook and Jenkins Gap in the park. It likes to grow in acid soils and is an indicator plant showing that you are in the oak chestnut forest association. The blossoms are saucer shaped and cover the shrub with striking clusters of pastel rose, pink or white flowers. Although this plant does grow wild in the park many of the shrubs along the drive were planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps when the Skyline Drive was being built.
Many plants have devised unique methods to ensure pollination. The resourceful mountain laurel is one of the best at pollination engineering. The stamens are designed to spring like a taut bow when an insect trips the lever. The unwary insect is plunked on its back with a plop of sticky pollen and flies off to another plant to deliver the pollen to the stigma thus ensuring pollination.
Mountain Laurel has several local names including Calico-Bush which comes from the white blossoms that are trimmed with pink. In the past it was also called Spoonwood because the Native Americans used to make their spoons out of the wood. Knots or Burls from the wood were used to make tobacco pipes.

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[Theamericanstates]

The State Flower of Pennsylvania is the Mountain Laurel, as enacted by the General Assembly on May 5, 1933. The mountain laurel is in full bloom in mid-June, when Pennsylvania's woodlands are filled with its distinctive pink flower.