Governor Gifford Pinchot decided the choice of the official State flower in the 1930s. The General Assembly had passed two bills each naming a different favorite shrub-(Mountain laurel and the Pink azalea). Governor Pinchot chose the former and signed the bill into law on May 5, 1933.
Mountain laurel in Pennsylvania normally begins to bloom late in May and its pink and white blossoms are in evidence well into June. Thousands of tourists from the Commonwealth and surrounding states are attracted to the mountains each spring to view this colorful display.
Mountain laurel is a shrub, which varies from four to ten feet in height, although specimens 40 feet tall are found in some southern states. It is commonly found growing on rocky hilltops.
There is a persistent myth that the designation of State flower affords Mountain laurel a protected status. This is not true. No one may remove any plant from public or private land without the landowner's or land manager's permission. But there are no legal restrictions on the cultivation of Mountain laurel. And there are many good reasons to grow and enjoy Pennsylvania's beautiful State flower.
I used to think that mountain laurel was protected as well. I grew up with it growing by house and my father used to tell me that it was protected. I always liked the interesting way the trunk and branches would grow on laurel.
ReplyDeleteGreat timing for a blog on PA Wildflowers! We should be seeing lots more colorful activity in the next couple of weeks.
ReplyDeleteHiking in the mountains by our cabin in sulivan county i would see moutain laurel everywhere. Its almost impossible to walk through a patch of it because its so densly packed together. Deer, rabbits and birds love hiding in it. I agree with gregg the branches were always so cool how its was very twisty and vine-like.
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