EXPLORE MORE:

Great Laurel: More Than Just a Pretty Flower

By Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist

December 31, 2025

Rhododendron tree with leaves curled up in a winter landscape — Rhododendron maximum conserves its energy in winter. Photo by Jennifer Correa-Kruegel.

Great laurel — more frequently referred to as rhododendron — is a unique evergreen shrub that is commonly used as an ornamental planting in people’s yards. The broad-leafed plant can also be found throughout New Jersey in acidic, wet forests, where it typically grows as high as 10 or 20 feet, sometimes even up to 30 feet.

Normally, when a tree has broad leaves, they shed them in the winter (known as deciduous leaves) to prevent snow piling up and weighing down branches to the point of breaking them.

Since leaves are what a plant uses to collect sunlight to convert into energy for the plant to grow, it further helps the plant conserve energy in the winter months when deciduous trees drop their leaves. It can actually cost a plant more energy to retain its leaves than it takes to shed them in winter when there is less sunlight.

And that is where the rhododendron breaks all the rules.

Rhododendron maximum has the unique ability to alter its leaves’ structure during inclement weather, allowing the plant to retain its broad leaves throughout the winter. As soon as the temperature dips below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, the rhododendron’s leaves begin to droop and curl along with each temperature drop in anticipation of snow or icy conditions. With less surface area, it is harder for snow and ice to take hold.

You can expect a rhododendron to reach its maximum height after about 10 winters, at which point it will most likely stop growing, or at least significantly slow down. This is good news for the other species, which often get edged out by the fearless survivalist that is the great laurel.

Fun Facts About the Great Laurel

Great laurel is more commonly known as big (or maximum) rhododendron.
It is used as an ornamental in people’s yards.
The maximum rhododendron plant responds to the cold by drooping and curling its leaves the more frigid the temperatures get.
The smaller surface area of the leaf prevents branches from breaking during heavy snow- and ice storms.

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist

Jennifer has a Masters in Parks and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University. She worked as a Park Naturalist for Hunterdon County Park System from 2003-2006 and then at the NJSOC full-time from 2006 - 2020, starting as the Program Coordinator and evolving to an Environmental Educator. Jen is a New Jersey native and has lived in Warren County with her family since 2004. She is excited to be offering programs to this community she has grown to love.