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Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) has been Pennsylvania’s official state flower since 1933. Governor Gifford Pinchot signed into law one of two competing bills. The Pennsylvania General Assembly had passed two bills naming a state flower – one the mountain laurel and the other the pink azalea. Pinchot chose to sign the mountain laurel bill into law on May 5, 1933.

Photograph by Linda Stager

The first year Wellsboro celebrated the Moutain Laurel with a festival was in 1938. It was the idea of local businessman Larry Woodin who wanted to boost the sagging economy. The Pennsylvania State Laurel Festival promotes the beautiful Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. The Lions Club initially organized the Festival. Still, today’s Festival is sponsored by the Wellsboro Foundation, Inc., administered by the Wellsboro Area Chamber of Commerce, and it is still organized by a committee of volunteers who work year-round to ensure its success. Wellsboro just finished celebrating the 81st Pennsylvania State Laurel Festival. If you missed the Festival this year, please plan to come next year. Click on this link for a snapshot of this past celebration.

https://www.thehomepagenetwork.com/laurel-festival-highlights-coming-this-week/

Photograph by Linda Stager

While riding with friends this week to show them the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon entering on the Colton side, which is the only entrance for the canyon this year, we saw that the Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel was still in bloom! A beautiful wave of pink and white bordering the mountains. if you have yet to travel to see the Pennslyvania Grand Canyon, you, too, still have the opportunity to see the beautiful Mountain Laurel and the majestic canyon.

Seeing these beautiful plants is a wonder in the woods but remember it is a deadly plant. All parts are poisonous and can be fatal to both humans and animals if ingested.

Photograph by Linda Stager

For more information about the Pennsylvania State Laurel Festival, please visit this link:
https://www.wellsboropa.com/index.php/PA-State-Laurel-Festival