Kalmia

Kalmia is a species of about 7 species of evergreen bushes from 0.2-5 m tall, in the family Ericaceae. They are inhabitant to North America and Cuba. Kalmia is named after the Finnish botanist Pehr Kalm, who unruffled it in eastern North America.

The leaves are 2-12 cm long, simple lanceolate, and prearranged spirally on the stems. The flowers are white, pink or purple, in corymbs of 10-50, suggestive of Rhododendron flowers but compliment, with a star-like calyx of five conjoined petals; each flower is 1-3 cm diameter. The fruit is a five-lobed container, which splits to release the plenteous small seeds.

Kalmia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some lepidopteran species including Coleophora kalmiella which feeds completely on Kalmia.