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| Mountain Laurel |
A Phenological Update: Late May into early June is clearly one of my most favorite seasons of the Shawangunks. This job has given me so many opporutnities to learn about the natural landscape here and I have been expanding my flora scope. Currently right now, we are experiencing the Laurel peak. Quarter-sized, umbrella looking, white, sticky flower blooms are opening up all over the Ridge. That flower is called Moutain Laurel.
Kalmia latifolia is a broad-leaved evergreen shrub that has round flowers that come in dark shades of white to pink to even red/maroon. Although this plant is very poisonous, it is a great flower for many pollinators. Similar to the Blueberry, this plant really thrives in acidic soil (mostly 90% of the soil around here is acidic from the conglomerate). But right now, it is just in full bloom boom here. And a large popular attraction for the spring (similar to the fall foliage peak in the fall). If you have not been up here in the spring around this time before, you definitely need to add it to your bucket list. It is just beautiful and it smells nice too!
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| Some Pink Morphs |
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Not Mountain Laurel, but the tinier cousin, Sheep Laurel
Just as beuatiful! |
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| So cute! |
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