What is a spoon tree?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

July 29, 2005

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In 1748, the Swedish Academy of Science commissioned a student of Linnaeus, Pehr Kalm, to travel to North America and search for economic plants—dye plants, new foods, fodder for animals, and the like. In the three years he explored the colonies (northeast U.S. and parts of Canada), Kalm collected about 380 new species, made observations about plants and animals, and noted the customs and survival techniques of early settlers and natives in the New World.

Plant of the Week 07/11/2005

Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Plant of the Week 07/11/2005

Five years earlier, Mark Catesby collected the first scientific specimen of the mountain laurel, but Kalm wrote of its uses. He was intrigued by this shrub with its evergreen leaves. Linnaeus honored his student by naming it Kalmia latifolia.

"In some places it was customary to adorn the churches on Christmas-day or New-year's-day with the fine branches of this tree which are then thick covered with leaves." It was more than decorative as Kalm noted, "The chimney-sweepers make brooms in winter of the branches with the leaves on them..." and he mentioned in passing that "Some people asserted, that when a fire happened in the woods, it never went further, as soon as it came to the Kalmias."

Minuet Mountain Laurel Kalmia latifolia
Bright green branches last all year long, accented with rich bronze color come fall. Masses of starburst-patterned flowers bloom in May and June, colorful fruit capsules last into winter. Grows 6-8 feet tall--an upright, mounded form. Perfect for naturalizing. Does well in shade. Mulch to keep soil moist for best results. Zones 5-9. —>Click here - $20 off any order for $50 or more at Gurneys.com!
Mountain Laurel Perennials & Roses For Sale

The wood of mountain laurel "is very hard, and some people on that account make the axis of their pullies (pulleys) of it. Weavers shuttles are chiefly made of it, and the weavers are of opinion, that no wood in this country is better for this purpose; for it is compact, may be made very smooth, and does not easily crack, or burst. The joiners and turners here employ it in making all kinds of work which requires the best wood...."

Kalm mentioned that the 'English' called the tree a "laurel", but Spoon tree was its name among the Swedes in the colonies. "The Swedes here have called it thus, because the Indians, who formerly lived in these provinces, used to make their spoons and trowels of the wood of this tree. In my cabinet of natural curiosities, I have a spoon made of this wood by an Indian, who has killed many stags and other animals on the very spot where Philadelphia afterwards was built; for in his time that spot was yet covered with trees and shrubs." (Travels into North America, Pehr Kalm, 2^nd ed., T. Lowndes, London, 1773, published on the Internet by the Wisconsin Historical Society and National History Day)

American Journeys is a wonderful digital library of 150 rare texts posted to the Internet. This collaborative effort of the Wisconsin Historical Society and National History Day was funded by U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. This is a great site and a wonderful resource! To read some of the books no longer available to the general public, click on the link:

http://www.americanjourneys.org/index.asp

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

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