Western Bog Laurel

Now here's a plant with an interesting name. Not to get "bogged" down in the finite points of plant naming, but in this case the Western Bog Laurel (Kalmia microphylla) has a bit of interesting history. The attractive, native shrub is blooming now (6/05/2014) and will continue to do so for most of the summer. As the common name implies, it prefers bogs, swamps, stream banks and other wet areas with some shade. It's also called Alpine Laurel, Swamp Laurel, and grows over most of North America.

The evergreen leaves resemble rhododendron leaves but smaller; the plant will reach a maximum of about three feet tall. The blooms are very pink and remind me of umbrellas or hoop skirts. The unopened blooms have a unique oragami-like shape as well. 

The blossoms also have a unique structure designed for pollination. The stamens are bent over like a spring so that when an insect pops by for a drink, it is released and sprays the unsuspecting bug's belly with pollen. You can see how this would work in the photo below. 

The Latin name Kalmia is after Peter Kahm, who was a student of Carl Linnaeus - the botanist who came up with the plant naming scheme still in use today. Around 1747 he traveled to the Americas and is credited with providing scientific descriptions of some 60 new plants in the new world. He was also a prolific note-taker and is thought to have been the first scientist to visit and describe Niagra Falls. The microphylla part, means "small" in reference to the leaves.

The Bog Laurel common name, like so many, is misleading in that this plant is not a Laurel. It is a member of the Heath family. Early non-native folks probably thought the leaves resembled the tropical Laurel leaves and thus named it incorrectly.

And lastly, the Bog Laurel is very toxic. If ingested you'll get to experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness, a drop in blood pressure, and breathing problems! Not your best choice for a natural foods picnic in the swamp...

Note the unopened blossoms.

Each bloom is about an inch across.