Does a Laurel Tree Produce Red Berries?

Growing Conditions

• Locations featuring damp, acidic soil that receive only partial sunlight are ideal for mountain laurel to develop. The species benefits from mulch around its roots to both retain any moisture and keep the root system protected from the elements. Avoid placing mountain laurel in heavy clay.

Size and Form

• The largest mountain laurels are in the range of 20 feet tall, with trunk diameters of 6 inches. When in tree form, with a single trunk, mountain laurel features a twisted, short trunk that holds spreading branches. If grown in heavy shade, the crown is thin and open. Full sun or partial sunshine results in denser, more compact branches.

Leaves and Flowers

• Mountain laurel foliage is evergreen, with the upper sides a dark green; the undersides are in hues of yellow-green. Mountain laurel foliage grows alternately on the twigs, to lengths as long as 5 inches. The elliptical leaves are rigid and thick, with pointy ends. Flowers emerge in clusters as wide as 6 inches, with the 1-inch-wide flowers opening in late May or early June. Colors vary from pink to white in the parent species, with some cultivars producing red or purple blooms. The flowers last up to two weeks, notes the University of Connecticut Plant Database.

Fruits and Uses

• Sticky hairs cover the rounded seed capsules generated from the mountain laurel's flowers. The capsules are only ¼ inch wide and they are a dark brown color, according to the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees: Eastern Region." These brown capsules will last on the branches into the winter months, states the Missouri Botanical Garden. Use mountain laurel in group plantings where conditions allow. It is a good option to plant next to rhododendrons and azaleas. Naturalized parts of the property and along foundations are suitable settings for this tree.