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Sheep Laurel

Kalmia angustifolia

Found in sandy, dry to moist hillsides and moist areas, rocky areas, in ne. NC and se. VA in longleaf pine sandhills. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

77
Strong

Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
1–3 feet
Spread
4–6 feet
Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 5 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 4 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Evergreen
Bloom
April to June
Fruiting season
September to October

County records are not available.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 97 animals.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

21CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Kalmia

  • Acleris maculidorsanaStained-Back Leafroller Moth
  • Acleris minutaLesser Apple Leaf Folder, Yellowheaded Fireworm
  • Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
  • Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
  • Celastrina luciaLucia Azure
  • Cladara limitariaMottled Gray Carpet, Yellow-Lined Conifer Looper, Yellow-Lined Forest Looper, Black-Angled Wave
  • Darapsa choerilusAzalea Sphinx
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Morrisonia evictaBicolored Woodgrain
  • Nemoria rubrifrontariaRed-Fronted Emerald
Show all 21
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
  • Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
  • Probole nepiasariaHeath Probole
  • Pseudexentera cressonianaShagbark Hickory Leafroller
  • Sphinx kalmiaeFawn Sphinx, Laurel Sphinx
  • Spiramater lutraDarling Mamestra, Splashed Arches, Otter Spiramater, Otter Arches
  • Synanthedon rhododendriRhododendron Borer
  • Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
  • Olethreutes melanomesum
  • Paralobesia rhoifructana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
6BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Kalmia

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
3Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Kalmia

  • Andrena bradleyi
  • Andrena kalmiae
  • Colletes productus
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
3BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Kalmia

  • Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
  • Lagopus lagopusWillow Ptarmigan
  • Lagopus leucuraWhite-tailed Ptarmigan
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Ericaceae
Hardiness
Zones 5a–8b
Soil pH
Acidic to neutral
Flower color
Pink, purple or red
Fruit begins
September
Fruit ends
October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Kalmia angustifolia var. caroliniana

Conservation status

West Virginia rankNot available
Global rankG5
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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