SoftGlow

Great Laurel, or Rhododendron Maximum, is an evergreen bush common to the mid to higher mountain regions and can be found as far south as the Appalachian foothills of north Georgia . The large shrub, or small tree, depends on soil fungi to absorb nutrients, so It prefers the moist, acid slopes of lower cloud forests and heavily shaded evergreen areas up to about 3000 ft above sea level.

The pink tinted flowers are normally around 1 inch in diameter and appear in striking clusters among deep green, tapered leaves ranging from 3 to 8 inches in length. The leaves droop in cold weather and begin to curl into a tube.

Taken on the Smith Lake trail at Unicoi State Park in Helen, GA USA

Olympus E-3, Zuiko 50-200 mm f/2.8, f/6.3, 1/15 sec, ISO 400, 187 mm.

Copyright © Richard G. Witham 2009 all rights reserved.
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