The beautiful Mountain Laurel is in the heart of the flora of Breeches Lake. When you take a canoe ride to the head of the lake in early summer, look for the flower on the banks of the lake. The shrub varies from 2 to 20 feet in height and flourishes best in shady places and near water. It has narrow, shiny leaves from 1 to 5 inches long and blooms in May or June. In the bud they are a deeper pink with radiating lines that make them look like candy stars. The name Kalmia is in honour of Peter Kalm, a Swedish botanist who travelled eastern North America in colonial days.
