Alpine Laurel Kalmia microphylla Heather family (Ericaceae)
Laurel (Kalmia microphylla) has showy pink flowers to 3/4" across. Each is tucked into a pocket in the petal, waiting to spring open and dust the passing pollinator that disturbs it. The plant contains poisonous alkaloids. The plant has a scattered presence in southern Colorado and becomes infrequent but locally abundant in the mountains of northern Colorado.
Low shrub, 2-18" tall, with slender, low-spreading branches. , narrowly to elliptical-, dark green, glossy, and hairless above and gray fine-hairy beneath. Leaves often with rolled-under margins. Pink-rose flowers in loose clusters at stem tips, saucer-shaped with 5 . slightly protruding with densely hairy at base. Flowers often supported by slender red stem. are 5-valved, round .