The Official Pennsylvania State Flower

Kalmia latifolia

The Kalmia latifolia, or mountain laurel, is the Pennsylvania state flower. It is native to the eastern United States, and is a member of the plant family Ericaceae. Its range stretches from Maine to Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana. The plant is an evergreen shrub with clusters of small, bell-shaped white or pink flowers. Mountain laurel can grow up to 20 feet tall, and its foliage is often described as glossy and leathery.

Mountain laurel was adopted as the state flower of Pennsylvania in 1933. In the 1920s, a schoolgirl from Mont Alto, Pennsylvania, named Marie Druce was inspired to lobby for the adoption of the mountain laurel as the state flower. She wrote multiple letters to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and her efforts were successful. The mountain laurel was adopted as the official state flower of Pennsylvania in 1933. Today, it is one of the most beloved and recognizable symbols of Pennsylvania.

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