Editing Kalmia latifolia (section)

==Etymology==
''Kalmia latifolia'' is also known as '''ivybush''' or '''spoonwood''' (because Native Americans used to make their spoons out of it).<ref>{{cite web|last1=Harris|first1=Tony|date=11 August 2015|title=Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)|url=https://mycherokeegarden.com/2015/08/11/mountain-laurel-kalmia-latifolia/|access-date=22 February 2020|website=mycherokeegarden.com|publisher=WordPress}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kalmia latifolia |url=http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c798 |website=missouribotanicalgarden.org |publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden |access-date=16 June 2018}}</ref>

The plant was first recorded in America in 1624, but it was named after the Finnish explorer and botanist [[Pehr Kalm]] (1716–1779), who sent samples to [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]].

The Latin [[binomial nomenclature|specific epithet]] ''latifolia'' means "with broad leaves" – as opposed to its sister species ''[[Kalmia angustifolia]]'', "with narrow leaves".<ref name=RHSLG>{{cite book |last=Harrison |first=Lorraine |title=RHS Latin for Gardeners |year=2012 |publisher=Mitchell Beazley |location=United Kingdom |isbn=978-1845337315 }}</ref>

Despite the name "mountain laurel", ''Kalmia latifolia'' is not closely related to the true laurels of the family [[Lauraceae]].{{Cn|date=March 2025}}