Rhododendron chlorosis (yellowing), a symptom of iron deficiency. Mountain laurel is a great choice for landscapes in part shade with moist, acidic, well-drained soil. hundreds of different species including azaleas. Mountain laurel is fairly drought-resistant and tolerates dry, rocky, infertile soil. Rhododendron 'Charles Dickens'. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is flowering broadleaf evergreen shrub with a multi-stemmed growth habit. In the past I'm sure that I unfortunately mis-stated my some of my carvings by refering to the wood as laurel when they were really rhododendron. Mountain laurel’s cultural requirements are similar to those of rhododendron and azalea, so … will curl up under environmental stress. Rhododendron generally has a wider range than mountain laurel and can be found throughout much of North America, depending on the species. The flowers range from pink to white and form an inflorescence or cluster of flowers around a stem. This one isn’t blooming yet-and notice the leaves are longer, thinner, and a brighter green. Features Mountain laurel is evergreen, with pointed oval leaves, while rhododendron's leathery round-tipped leaves curl up like cigars in sub-freezing temperatures. They also ripen later.) The fresh or dried leaves are used to make medicine. This shrub can be used in borders, foundation plantings, screen, massing and as a specimen plant. Mountain laurel and rhododendron add beauty to any hike when in bloom, and the dense “tunnels” they often create are especially interesting to hike through. As you can see from this photo taken at the top of my driveway-Ivy (mountain laurel) and Mountain Laurel (rhododendron) often grow close together-which makes it even more confusing uh? Another distinction observed in mountain laurel pictures is that their leaves curl upward along the edges, while Rhododendron’s leaf edges are downward. They also look especially similar when they are not in bloom, with their long, dark green leaves. Find the perfect Mountain Laurel stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Mountain laurel’s are smooth and a paler shade of green than their top side. Mountain laurel is more adaptable than rhododendron. Mountain laurel requires acid, well … This plant is dense and well-branched, forming a compact mound of foliage right to the ground, and reaching 4 feet tall and 3½ feet wide within 5 to 7 years of planting. Rhododendron typically grows in dense woods and mountain slopes and requires moist, acidic soil. There is only one rhododendron that is native to Pennsylvania forests and that is the Rosebay rhododendron, This native rhododendron ranges in height from 5 to 15 feet and has a spread of 5 to 12 feet. Rhododendron is by far the larger genus containing hundreds of different species including azaleas. The perfect plant for your shade garden! Key Points. Seed pods are longer than they are wide and ripen from green to brown. These trees have dark green leaves and produce bell-shaped flowers in trusses or ball-like clusters. ... Like Rhododendrons… The mountain laurel is spectacular this year — nature's rornpericatinn fnr the browned rhododendron leaves and nipped azalea buds the harsh winter left. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Phonetic Spelling rho-doh-DEN-dron kah-taw-bee-EN-say This plant has high severity poison characteristics. If the flowers are not deadheaded, nondescri… While Rhododendron’s leaves are also a paler shade of green on the … Azalea – See above. The leaves are thick and leathery with an often rusty underside. It’s kind of confusing to think about – Rhododendron is “laurel” and mountain laurel is “ivy,” but even today many people still refer to these beautiful plants by their old names. There is an evergreen and deciduous type. Rhododendron leaves are robust and rounded, while the leaves of mountain laurel are smaller, more slender, with a slight point to the tip. Mulberry whitefly – Whitefly nymphs may infest the undersides of your mountain laurel leaves, so turn them over to check for infestation.Whiteflies are sap-sucking insects that quickly stress plants in large numbers.. Mountain Laurel Pest Control. A laurel flower resembles a tiny cup or bowl with five points or minuscule lobes. One word of caution though, the leaves of Mountain Laurel are poisonous if ingested, so it may not be a good plant for you if you have pets or young children that might try to eat them. Based in the Atlanta area, Charlene Williams has been writing and editing since 1988. Also in this family among others are trailing arbutus the genus Epigaea, bear berry the genus Arctostaphylos and wintergreen the genus Gaultheria. Rhododendron blooms in June to July and bears clusters of 10 to 20 bell-shaped flowers at the end of small branches. Both mountain laurel and rhododendron are on the “starvation food” list. 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. There may be a temptation to say that mountain laurel is just a smaller version of rhododendron. There is little resemblance between some of these plants, yet all are of the same family.