Mountain laurel
Kalmia latifolia L.
Also called mountain laurel.
Native broadleaf evergreen with clusters of intricate cup-shaped pink-to-white flowers in late spring. Suits woodland gardens with acidic soil.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 1.5–3 m (5–10 ft) tall and 1.5–3 m (5–10 ft) wide; slow growth, about 10 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.12) from the #3 install size.
Bloom
Pink and white flowers, May–Jun (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain laurel : May–Jun |
Design notes
- Leaves are toxic to people, pets and livestock if eaten.
- Requires excellent drainage; dislikes heavy clay and alkaline soil.
- Many compact and deeply coloured cultivars exist.
Regions
Native range: Eastern U.S..
Native to these OpenLandscape3D pilot regions:
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Mountain laurel
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.