Mountain Laurel

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Turkey, North America, US, US(Amerindian), US(Delaware)

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Alterative, Astringent, Blood, Cardiac

Science studied: ANDROMEDOL, ARBUTIN, ASEBOTIN, ASH

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Ericaceae

Scientific name: Kalmia latifolia

Common names: Mountain Laurel, Calico Bush, Spoonwood, Breitblättrige Lorbeerrose, Calico-bush, Calmia Llydanddail, Clamoun, Ivybush, Kalmia szerokolistna, Kalmie, Lambkill, Laurel de montaña, Laurier d'Amérique, Laurier des montagnes, Mountain laurel, Mountain-laurel, Sheep Laurel, bredbladet kalmia, bredbladig kalmia

POWO: 279164-2 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Turkey, North America, US, US(Amerindian), US(Delaware).

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Alterative
• Astringent
• Blood
• Cardiac
• Diarrhea
• Eye
• Hemorrhage
• Infection

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Turkey
• North America
• US
• US(Amerindian)
• US(Delaware)

Documented cultural uses

• Alterative
• Astringent
• Blood
• Cardiac
• Diarrhea
• Eye
• Hemorrhage
• Infection
• Narcotic
• Poison
• Sedative
• Skin

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Alterative · Turkey · "
• Alterative · North America · "
• Astringent · Turkey · "
• Astringent · North America · "
• Blood · North America · "
• Cardiac · Turkey · "
• Diarrhea · North America · "
• Diarrhea · US · "
• Eye · US · "
• Hemorrhage · North America · "
• Infection · US · "
• Narcotic · Turkey · "
• Narcotic · North America · "
• Poison · Turkey · "
• Poison · US · "
• Sedative · Turkey · "
• Skin · US · "
• Suicide · US(Amerindian) · "
• Syphilis · US · "
• Rash · US · "
• Skin · Turkey · "
• Dysentery · North America · "
• Sedative · North America · "
• Suicide · US(Delaware) · "

2 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Dispensing Pollen via Catapult: Explosive Pollen Release in Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia). · 2018 source ↗
• To sprout or not to sprout: Multiple factors determine the vigor of Kalmia latifolia (Ericaceae) in southwestern Connecticut · 2014 source ↗
• First Report of Root Rot Caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi on Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) in Italy. · 2012 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• ANDROMEDOL
• ARBUTIN
• ASEBOTIN
• ASH
• CATECHIN-TANNINS
• 24ALPHA-ETHYLLATHOSTEROL
• GRAYANOTOXIN
• INVERTIN
• PECTIN
• PHLORIDZIN
• PROTEIN
• BETA-SITOSTEROL
• TANNIC-ACID
• CALCIUM
• EMULSIN
• FIBER

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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