What are the differences between mountain laurel&rhododendron leaves?
Mountain laurel leaves measure 3 to 6 inches. Rhododendron shrubs include many species and cultivars and may have some differences in the size, shape and color of the leaves. Each plant has very different flowers, and this will be the easiest way to differentiate the plants.
What is the difference between mountain laurel and regular Laurel?
Mountain laurel, on the other hand, has much smaller flowers that measure less than an inch across. They can be white, purple or pink. The blooms are cup-shaped and appear in clusters that are 4 to 6 inches across.
Are there any mountain laurel/rhododendron in New Jersey?
A few hikes with abundant mountain laurel and/or rhododendron in New Jersey: A Day in the Smokies | “ Mountain Laurel or Rhododendron?
How tall does a mountain laurel tree grow?
In the wild, you can find mountain laurel as 6- to 10-foot-tall shrubs in woodlands, forests, meadows and mountain slopes. There are several cultivars of mountain laurel that you can select if you want to add this beautiful shrub to your landscape. 'Sarah,' for example, features pinkish-red spring blooms and grows up to 6 feet tall.
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What's the difference between a laurel and a Rhododendron?
The laurel has the smaller leaves and name. The rhododendron has the larger leaves and the larger name. Speaking of leaves, in cold weather rhododendron leaves droop and curl back.
Is mountain laurel an azalea?
If you are looking for a spring-flowering shrub beyond the typical azaleas, consider native mountain laurel.
What plant is similar to mountain laurel?
Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron are often confused with one another. They do both grow in abundance here in our Smoky Mountains, and they often grow together. They also look especially similar when they are not in bloom, with their long, dark green leaves.
What is mountain laurel called?
Kalmia latifoliamountain laurel, (Kalmia latifolia), Flowering evergreen shrub of the heath family, occurring in most mountainous regions of eastern North America. It grows to about 3–18 feet (1–6 metres) in height and has oval leaves. The rosy, pink, or white flowers appear in large clusters above the foliage.
What is difference between azalea and rhododendron?
Rhododendrons produce large, bell-shaped flowers in clusters whilst azaleas blooms are smaller and either tubular or funnel-shaped. Both mainly flower in spring but with a growing range of summer flowering varieties now on offer, with "encore azaleas" blooming in early spring then again in the summer.
What can I plant instead of rhododendrons?
Among the most popular are Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel) and Pieris japonica (Japanese andromeda) whose particularly attractive blooms overlap with those of Rhododendrons and Azaleas and create a spectacular floral display.
What bush looks like rhododendron?
Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) and rhododendron varieties (Rhododendron spp.) are similar evergreen shrubs that may easily be mistaken for one another.
What is a rhododendron bush?
Rhododendrons are shrubs, often evergreen, that are either native to North America or hybrids grown for desirable attributes such as height, color, and adaptability to regional climates. Their flowers are tubular-, funnel-, or bell-shaped—and depending on variety, can be fragrant.
Do rhododendrons grow wild in the Smoky Mountains?
Catawba Rhododendron Rhododendron is a relatively common plant, but the wild versions which grow in Great Smoky Mountains National Park vary a little bit from what you might grow at your house. Catawba rhododendrons have brilliant pink/purple flowers.
What does rhododendron look like?
The flowers are bell-shaped and are born in clusters known as trusses. They may be white, yellow, orange, pink, red, or purple in color. The flowers are often decorated with spots of a different color from the rest of the flower. Most of my local plants bloom in May, though some produce flowers in April.
How can you tell a mountain laurel?
Mountain laurel's are smooth and a paler shade of green than their top side. While Rhododendron's leaves are also a paler shade of green on the underside, in addition, they are covered in a brown fuzz. Another difference is the curling direction for the edges of the leaves.
What happens if you touch mountain laurel?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it can even be fatal to both humans and some animals. The way it takes victims out isn't overly pleasant either. Consume it in high enough quantities and your lips, mouth and throat burn. Nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, convulsions, and increasingly paralysis follow.
What are the names of the huckleberries in the Ericaceae family?
While they are both members of the Ericaceae, each is a different genus. Rhododendrons are of the genus Rhododendron, while mountain laurels are of the genus Kalmia. To put this in perspective The Ericaceae family also encompasses cranberries and blueberries both genus Vaccinium. Some huckleberries are Vaccinium while some are of the genus Gaylussacia. (For those of you who pick our local blueberries/huckleberries the huckleberries of the genus Gaylussacia are the berries that have the larger, crunchy seeds. The ones in our area are usually high bush and have the blacker berries. They also ripen later.) Also in this family among others are trailing arbutus the genus Epigaea, bear berry the genus Arctostaphylos and wintergreen the genus Gaultheria. There is little resemblance between some of these plants, yet all are of the same family. What they have in common is certain characteristics of the flowers. Usually they have 5 petals and 5 sepals which are commonly fused into a bell shaped flower. The produce some sort of berry, drupe (contains only one seed) or seed containing capsule. Most are woody shrubs with alternate leaves that are frequently evergreen.
How tall is a Rosebay Rhododendron?
This native rhododendron ranges in height from 5 to 15 feet and has a spread of 5 to 12 feet. It forms dense thickets that are nearly impenetrable.
What is the name of the shrub with alternate leaves?
Most are woody shrubs with alternate leaves that are frequently evergreen. Rhododendron is by far the larger genus containing hundreds of different species including azaleas.
What is the name of the state flower that blooms in spring?
How many of you think that those showy rhododendrons that bloom so gloriously in spring are just a domestic version of our state flower, the mountain laurel? It is a natural assumption as they appear to be very similar and the impulse to use the names interchangeably is understandable.
How big are the leaves of a sage?
The leaves are thick and leathery with an often rusty underside. Leaf size ranges from 3 to 14 inches long and 1-3 inches wide with round tips. The leaves are evergreen, with a narrow base and wider middle and rounded tip. They often will curl up under environmental stress.
Where does Kalmia grow?
Only about 7 species are assigned to the genus Kalmia. One of them is our native mountain laurel. Mountain laurel is a native of the eastern part of the US, particularly the Appalachian region. It will grow in dry, rocky or poor soil and is more tolerant of sun than Rhododendron.
Is a rhododendron a cousin of a mountain laurel?
The rhododendrons that we grow in our garden are no more than a cousin of the wild mountain laurel although they may be a sibling of the wild rhododendron. Uncategorized.
Mountain Laurel Leaves
Mountain Laurel shrub belongs to the easter part of the United States. These plants usually grow in the form of a small tree and grow around 3 feet tall. Mountain Laurels play an important role especially during the winter as they help in providing a ground cover and attract pollinators.
Rhodendron
Identical to the Mountain Laurels in appearance, the term “Rhododendron” usually refers to a genus that comprises hundreds of different species that also include azaleas. Rhododendron may be either deciduous shrubs or evergreen plants.
What is the difference between a rhododendron and a mountain laurel?
Mountain laurel is evergreen, with pointed oval leaves, while rhododendron's leathery round-tipped leaves curl up like cigars in sub- freezing temperature s. Small mountain laurel flower buds look crimped, while rhododendron buds are plump and pointed. A laurel flower resembles a tiny cup or bowl with five points or minuscule lobes.
Where does Mountain Laurel grow?
Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) naturally grows only in the eastern United States' forests.
What is the best soil for rhododendrons?
Mountain laurels and rhododendrons belong to the heath family, Ericaceae. Both grow best in moist, well-drained, organic-rich soils with an acidic pH. The plant tissues contain chemical toxins that can cause stomach pain or death if eaten in large amounts.
How many different varieties of rhododendrons are there?
Rhododendrons (Rhododendron spp.) include about 1,000 different species native to various habitats across the Northern Hemisphere. Roughly 28,000 different cultivars exist today -- the result of breeding and selection.
How many lobes does a laurel flower have?
A laurel flower resembles a tiny cup or bowl with five points or minuscule lobes. Rhododendron blossoms are larger, with obvious five-petal lobes. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) naturally grows only in the eastern United States' forests.
Mountain Laurels
Mountain laurels ( Kalmia latifolia) grow from USDA Zone 5 (New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine) south to Zone 9 (Georgia, Alabama and Florida). They are native from the eastern seaboard to the Mississippi River, as well as the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Rhododendrons
Rhododendrons ( Rhododendron spp.) are actually more prominent in Asia, but they have impressive stands in the Appalachian Mountains in the US. They are also state flowers for both West Virginia and Washington, and azaleas (perhaps more famed than mountain laurels or the rhododendrons) are part of the Rhododendron genus.
Commonalities & Differences
Being from the same family, mountain laurels and rhododendrons have a lot in common, but they are easy to distinguish from one another.
Finding a Spring Display
Just like autumn has colorful leaf displays in the October and November, spring puts on a vibrant flower show every April and May. It often starts with redbuds and dogwoods in the early spring, but the long-awaited annual finale is the mountain laurel and rhododendron blooms.
What soil pH do rhododendrons like?
Both rhododendrons and mountain laurels prefer an acidic soil, with a pH of 5.5 or lower. According to the University of California, digging in several inches of compost and peat moss and supplementing with elemental sulfur lowers the pH of the garden bed to the desired level. You can use a simple test kit to determine the soil's pH before and after amending the garden bed.
Where do mountain laurel trees grow?
The evergreen mountain laurel is native to the East Coast, hardy in zones 4 through 9. Like the rhododendron, its preferred habitat is a partially shaded woodland setting. While the mountain laurel can tolerate more sun in cooler coastal climates, it blooms profusely in the shade of larger trees. Growing up to 20 feet tall under ideal conditions, the mountain laurel is also available in dwarf forms, perfect for the small, sheltered urban garden that receives a limited amount of sun daily.
Where do rhododendrons grow?
While rhododendrons grow wild around the world in Asia, Europe and North America, the Pacific Northwest is known for its lush rhododendrons, azaleas and their hybrids. Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, depending on the variety, rhododendrons are available in an array of sizes and blossom colors. From dwarf plants to towering shrubs, white to firecracker red blossoms, deciduous or evergreen, there is a rhododendron for every garden.
Is a mountain laurel poisonous?
All parts of both the rhododendron and mountain laurel are poisonous. You should rake up any leaves, twigs and garden debris and place it in the green bin instead of the compost pile. A decorative fence that also serves as a barrier to pets and children may provide the compromise needed when planting a woodland garden that incorporates poisonous plants in its design.
