Kalmia
Sheep laurel
- Height × spread
- 0.3m – 3.1m × 0.6m – 3.1m
- Position
- Tolerates full sun, likes part shade, likes light shade
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
The mountain laurels are seen far less often than they deserve. They are acid loving shrubs with shiny, whorled, evergreen foliage. They come into flower in May or June, often a welcome follow-on to the earlier Camellia and then Rhododendron season. The flowers of the mountain laurel have both refinement and beauty. They are visually intriguing, opening from coloured buds. The flowers themselves are in shades of white, pink and red and beautifully complement the shrubs' foliage. Kalmia latifolia can reach up to 5 metres in height. The compact Kalmia angustifolia is much smaller, reaching a maximum of 1 metre in height.
- Flower colour
- Pink, Purple, Red, Rose, White
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Bell, Cube, Dome
- Height
- 0.3m – 3.1m
- Spread
- 0.6m – 3.1m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Summer
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Small scale garden, Rock garden
- Sun or shade
- Tolerates full sun, likes part shade, likes light shade
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam (normal), Sandy soil
- Soil pH
- Acid (ericaceous)
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Well drained soil
- Winter hardiness
- Varies, some are not hardy
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Hedge, Screening, Structural, Rabbit resistant, Bee attraction
- Hazards
- Yes, some poisonous
Spring
Spring · Outdoors
Apply acidic mulch
Where soil is only just acidic, apply mulch with a high acidic content such as leaf mould, or mulch for ericaceous plants. Alternatively the plant can benefit from a feed of iron supplement (iron chelate) such as sequestrol.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water to keep the soil moist
For best results, this plant needs soil that is always moist. Water deeply and regularly as soon as soil appears dry. Even for established plants in the ground, a dry week can cause problems with some soils. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather. Or install an automatic irrigation system which will do the hard work for you, even when you are away on holiday.
Without regular watering some plants never fully regain their beauty.
Found in
More Kalmia
Kalmia angustifolia f. rubra
Sheep laurel
Kalmia buxifolia
Sand myrtle, Box sandmyrtle
Kalmia latifolia
Calico Bush, Mountain laurel, American laurel, Spoonwood
Kalmia latifolia 'Carousel'
Calico bush, Mountain laurel
Kalmia latifolia 'Little Linda'
Calico bush, Mountain laurel
Kalmia latifolia 'Minuet'
Calico bush, Mountain laurel
Kalmia latifolia 'Nipmuck'
Calico Bush, Mountain laurel, American laurel, Spoonwood
Kalmia latifolia 'Olivia'
Mountain laurel