NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Kalmia carolina [= Kalmia angustifolia var. carolina]

Carolina Sheep Laurel, Southern Sheepkill, Carolina Wicky, Carolina Bog Myrtle

Scientific Name:	Kalmia carolina [= Kalmia angustifolia var. carolina]
Genus:	Kalmia
Species Epithet:	carolina
Common Name:	Carolina Sheep Laurel, Southern Sheepkill, Carolina Wicky, Carolina Bog Myrtle
Plant Type	Shrub
Life Cycle	Perennial
Plant Family	Ericaceae (Heath Family)
Native/Alien:	NC Native
Size:	1-3 ft., 3-6 ft.
Bloom Color(s):	Pink
Light:	Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day, Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day
Soil Moisture:	Moist, Wet
Bloom Time:	April, May, June, July, August
Growing Area:	Mountains, Sandhills, Coastal Plain
Habitat Description:	Moist to wet pinelands of the Coastal Plain, pocosin margins (or seemingly in pocosins or swamps because of fire suppression), mountain bogs and fens (and less commonly in rocky areas at high elevations) in the Mountains (Weakley 2015). Rare in NC mountains, common in the Coastal Plain.
Leaf Arrangement:	Alternate
Leaf Retention:	Evergreen
Leaf Type:	Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like
Leaf Form:	Simple
Life Cycle:	Perennial
Wildlife Value:	Has some wildlife value
Landscape Value:	Suitable for home landscapes
State Rank:	S4: Apparently secure ^(*Key)
Global Rank:	G4 - Apparently Secure ^(*Key)
State Status:	W6: Watch List: Regionally Rare ^(*Key)
Flowers This species has been recently split from K. angustifolia, which reaches its southern limit in northeast NC. Carolina Laurel has a disjunct distribution, rare in the NC mountains and common in the se NC coastal plain. Paynter, Halyburton Park, Wilmington, April 14, 2011
A Carolina Laurel patch. Stoloniferous in moist to wet pinelands of the Coastal Plain, pocosin margins, and mountain bogs and fens. Leaves in whorls of three or rarely opposite. Halyburton Park, Wilmington
Developing fruit.
Links:	USDA PLANTS Database Record