Great laurel

Great laurel (Rhododendron maximum) is an evergreen tree or shrub native to the lower 48 states of the United States and found in the state of Maryland; it may or may not be native to Maryland.USDA Plants Database, 
== Identification ==
Its foliage is typically dark green and has conspicuous fall interest. Foliage is retained in winter. It has red flowers which appear in mid spring.
It grows slowly from two or more stems to a height of about 25 feet with roots at least 18 inches deep, and has a lifespan over 250 years. It will readily resprout even if cut down to the ground.
== Cultivation ==
The USDA believes this plant to be readily available for purchase. It is suitable for growing in a nursery. It is propagated by the following methods: bare root, container, cuttings, seed. Typically, this plant will seed itself at a slow rate, and new seedlings will have a low chance of success compared to other plants of this type.
Soil preferences: coarse/medium soil, pH 4-5.5, low fertilizer. Provide medium moisture. This plant has no salinity tolerance and high drought tolerance. It tolerates shade.
== Uses and Relationships ==
It releases chemicals which will make it harder for other plants to grow surrounding it. At least some parts of the plant are moderately toxic to either humans or animals.
== More Information ==
The initial draft of this article was automatically generated from the Rhododendron maximum profile in the USDA Plants Database. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP) may or may not have a page for this genus with detailed range maps. (BONAP range maps are copyrighted and should not be placed directly on our wiki.)
== References ==
Category:Rhododendron Category:Native trees Category:Native shrubs Category:North American natives Category:Commercially available natives Category:Toxic natives Category:Red-flowered natives Category:Mid Spring blooming natives Category:Natives with dark green foliage Category:Natives with conspicuous fall foliage Category:Natives with winter foliage Category:Slow-growing natives Category:Natives between 25 and 50 feet tall Category:Shade-tolerant natives Category:Medium moisture demand natives Category:Drought tolerant natives Category:Allelopathic natives Category:USDA native stubs