Mountain Laurel

Kalmia latifolia

Mountain Laurel is one of the most beautiful native shrubs — clusters of intricate, geometrically perfect cup-shaped flowers in white, pink, and red with fascinating star patterns inside. The glossy evergreen foliage is handsome year-round. It's the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. In the wild, entire mountainsides turn pink in late May.

Hardiness Zones

4-9

Sunlight

Partial Shade

Water Needs

Moderate

Maintenance

Low

Mature Size

5-15 ft H × 5-15 ft W

Growth Rate

Slow

Bloom Season

Late Spring - Early Summer

Bloom Color

White, Pink, Red, Bi-color (intricate cup-shaped clusters)

Care Guide

Plant in partial shade with moist, acidic, well-drained soil (same conditions as rhododendrons). Never plant too deep. Mulch with pine needles or bark. Deadhead spent flower clusters for better bloom next year. Very slow-growing but long-lived. Don't fertilize heavily. All parts are toxic.

Landscape Uses

Woodland gardensFoundation plantingsNaturalized areasShade bordersNative plantings

Best Growing Regions

northeastsoutheastmidwest

Great Companion Plants

RhododendronRhododendron spp.

AzaleaRhododendron spp.

Dogwood

Ferns

HostaHosta spp.

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