Sheep Laurel

Description:

Kalmia angustifolia is a flowering shrub in the family Ericaceae, commonly known as Sheep Laurel. It is distributed in eastern North America from Ontario and Quebec south to Virginia. It grows commonly in dry habitats in the boreal forest, and may become dominant over large areas after fire or logging.[1] Like many plant species of infertile habitats it has evergreen leaves and mycorrhizal associations with fungi. It is also found in drier area of peat bogs. The attractive small, deep crimson-pink flowers are produced in early summer and are pollinated by bees. The plant may vary in height from only six inches high to three feet high. The narrow evergreen leaves, pale on the underside, have a tendency to emerge from the stem in groups of three. A peculiarity of the plant is that clusters of leaves usually terminate the woody stem, for the flowers grow in whorls or in clusters below the stem apex.

Notes:

Plant with many round magenta flowers. Earlier spotting with photo of the entire plant here:http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/8527944