Kalmia latifolia

Mountain laurel or is in the heath or Ericaceae family. It is native to Eastern North America (New England south to the southern Indiana, Louisiana and the Florida panhandle). It is a gnarled, multi-stemmed, broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree, reaching up to 4 m in height.

• Leaves are elliptic, alternate, leathery, up to 13 cm in length, dark green above and yellow green beneath and reminiscent of the leaves of rhododendrons.
• Flowers are in terminal clusters (corymbs) up to 15 cm across typically covering the shrub in late May-June for several weeks with an often exceptional bloom, each flower up to 2.5 cm across, cup- shaped, with 5 five sides and ranging in color from rose to white, with purple markings inside.
• Seed capsules are non-showy, brown, 5 mm, persisting into winter.
• All parts of this plant are toxic if ingested.