Mountain Laurel vs Rhododendron

Updated:
Mountain Laurel at Hemlock Pond

Mountain Laurel vs Rhododendron – how to tell them apart, plus suggested hikes.

Mountain laurel and rhododendron add beauty to any hike when in bloom, and the dense “tunnels” they often create are especially interesting to hike through.

Though somewhat similar in appearance with overlapping bloom times and often growing in the same area, there are a few key distinguishing features (a table follows below):

Mountain laurel

  • Blooms: May to June (later at higher altitudes)
  • Flowers: Pink or white; cup-shaped
  • Leaves: Short (2 to 5”); yellow-green to dark green
Close up of white and pink Mountain Laurel Flower
Butterfly on Mountain Laurel Leaves

Rhododendron

  • Blooms: June or early July
  • Flowers: White to light pink
  • Leaves: Long (4 – 14”); dark green
White with a touch of pink Rhododendron Flower
Rhododendron plant with white and pink leaves
Mountain laurelRhododendron
BloomsMay to JuneJune or early July
FlowersPink or white; cup-shapedWhite to light pink
Leaf colorYellow-green to dark greenDark green
Leaf lengthShort (2 to 5”)Long (4 – 14”)
short word, short leaves“long word, long leaves”

Suggested NJ Hikes

A few hikes with abundant mountain laurel and/or rhododendron in New Jersey:

Tunnel

Identification resources:

A Day in the Smokies | “Mountain Laurel or Rhododendron?
—Photos and description; some info specific to the Smoky Mountains

How to tell these evergreen plants apart?
—How to tell them apart when the plants aren’t in bloom; leaf differences

This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these at no cost to you.