# sheep laurel (*Kalmia angustifolia*) Sheep laurel is a pretty shrub with lovely pink flowers that bloom in spring. It grows in cool, shady places and is a favorite of many little creatures in the forest. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Snaps:** 29 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Lambkill ![sheep laurel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Kalmia_angustifolia_Rubra.jpg&width=800) Photo: A. Barra, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kalmia_angustifolia_Rubra.jpg) ## Appearance The sheep laurel is a small, upright evergreen shrub with narrow, leathery leaves that remain green year-round. It has clusters of distinct cup-shaped, bright pink to deep magenta flowers, making it visually stand out in its typically green or brown habitat. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Ericaceae - **Genus:** Kalmia ## Interesting facts - Early settlers sometimes used its strong, flexible wood to make small tools and handles! - Its unique 'spring-loaded' stamens snap open to dust pollinators with pollen! - Sheep laurel is an evergreen, keeping its leaves all winter long even in the snow! - The scientific name, Kalmia, honors a famous Swedish botanist named Pehr Kalm! ## Special abilities - **Toxic Defense:** Sheep laurel produces toxic compounds called grayanotoxins that help it deter hungry herbivores from eating its leaves and stems. - **Winter Survivor:** Its tough, evergreen leaves allow it to photosynthesize and survive through cold winters when many other plants have lost their foliage. - **Pollen Flingers:** The flowers have 'spring-loaded' stamens that snap open to fling pollen onto visiting insects, ensuring effective pollination. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-150 cm - **Spread:** 50-150 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** Kalmia Leaf Beetle (*Chrysomela kalmiae*) — larvae and adults feed on leaves ## Traits - [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell. - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Poisonous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/poisonous): Poisonous organisms produce toxins that can cause harm when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through contact. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Do not touch or eat any part of the sheep laurel plant, as it can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify sheep laurel? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is sheep laurel? 50-150 cm ### How wide does sheep laurel spread? 50-150 cm ### How big are the flowers on sheep laurel? 0.5-1 cm ### When does sheep laurel bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is sheep laurel edible? No ### Is sheep laurel toxic? High ### What is sheep laurel's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Ames Nowell State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ames-nowell-state-park) — Massachusetts, US · State Park - [Carriage Paths, Bridges and Gatehouses](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carriage-paths-bridges-and-gatehouses) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Chelsea Parade Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chelsea-parade-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Chesham](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chesham) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District - [East Plymouth Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-plymouth-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Kennebunkport Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kennebunkport-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District [View all places to see sheep laurel](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sheep-laurel) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Sheep Laurel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sheep-laurel)