Mountain Laurel
In the pinelands, mountain laurels are mainly found near the hills and slope ranges. They can be anywhere from the size of a houseplant, but can sometimes extend beyond 15 feet. The plant prefers sandy soil, like most plants in the pinelands. It can be found in places leading up to, on the side of, or on top of most hills.
These pink or white buds only appear for a few weeks during late-spring and early-summer. Their peak scenic flowers begin to form in the later part of April as subtle buds. The flowers form throughout the month of May, peaking at the end of the month. After pollination from bees, the flower begins to turn brown and die. The entire plant carries an extremely toxic poison, and any contact or ingestion must be avoided by all humans or pets.
