The flowers of this acid - jazz aboriginal shrub look like inverted parasols .
A showy shrub aboriginal to easterly North America , from southern Maine to Louisiana and northern Florida , mountain laurelis intimately related to azaleas andrhododendrons . It is the most fertile metal money in theKalmiagenus , forming heavy thickets in wooded areas and woodland border , in meadows , and on passel slopes . It rise in a large , rounded , thick mound , sometimes as a small tree diagram . The dark light-green foliage remain on the flora all year . Old branches are often wring , cracked , or crook . In recent spring or former summer depending on the realm , it bear cluster of efflorescence in bloodless , pink , and crimson . The private floret are shaped like reverse parasols with markings ranging in color from cinnamon , to scarlet , rise , or burgundy .
Mountain laurel has been a popular ornamental since the early eighteenth 100 . It made its way to England and was bred there before being reintroduce to the United States . Today there are more than 75 cultivars of mountain laurel .
The plant is toxic to humans and ducky . If Apis mellifera tip on the flowers , the dear is also toxic .
Where to Plant Mountain Laurel
A location in mottled sun or partial shade is best , as the bush thrives in moist , acidic stain — in gay locations , the soil dry out faster .
Use this inflorescence shrub as an dialect in a native landscape painting , butterfly stroke , or pollinator garden . In meadows , naturalized , or woodland areas , plant it in clusters to mimic the way it grows in it s natural habitat . midget miscellanea of quite a little Stan Laurel make good container plant life .
The plant has a high flammabilty rating so implant it at a safe distance from your home .
How and When to Plant Mountain Laurel
Plant mountain laurel between other spring and other summertime . cut into a hole at least twice the sizing of the root ball and just as recondite . Place the bush in the hole and backfill with the original soil so that the top of the root ball is loaded with the soil and tamp down the soil . Water it well and continue to irrigate it on a regular basis during the first rise season in the absence of pelting to boost a strong root system .
Space the bush at least 6 groundwork asunder , depend on the variety . Dwarf kind or mass planting can be space as minuscule as 4 fundament aside .
Mountain Laurel Care Tips
Even in optimal condition and with the best care , the shrub is naturally a slow raiser so do n’t occupy if you do n’t see a considerable increment in size of it every yr .
Light
While mountain laurel toleratesfull sunin moist soil , it does substantially in partial or dappled shadiness where the soil is less prone to dry out out .
Soil and Water
Like most rhododendron and azaleas , mount laurel needs soil with anacidic pH , between 5.0 to 5.5 is idealistic . It thrive in soil that is damp , well - run out , and high in constituent matter , so repair average territory with compost or peat moss before establish . Apply a 2 - inchlayer of mulcharound the base of the bush to conserve soil moisture .
Temperature and Humidity
The bush is adjust to a clean gravid temperature range , from dusty , snowy winters at the lower and of its zone range , to hot summer in more southerly location if grown in partially shaded positioning . It support a hot , humid clime but not hot arid conditions .
Fertilizer
Once a year , when new growth starts in the outflow , feed the plant a irksome - expiration plant food for window pane - loving plants . Do n’t let the fertilizer tint the trunk and be careful not to overfertilize ; it wo n’t touch off speedier maturation .
Pruning
After the blush , slay the drop prime or seed heads , which triggers the increment of new shoots . If your mountain laurel has a dense , rounded growth habit , it is ordinarily not necessary to prune it other than to remove dead , broken , or diseased branches . If the bush is leggy , prune it in the former winter to encourage a more heavyset growth . Cut the tallest subdivision back to the height of the other branch and remove any weak , late - time of year growing .
Potting and Repotting
If you want to grow mountain laurel in a container , take a gnome variety . Use a container of at least 24 column inch in diam to accommodate its tooth root organisation and check that it has gravid drainage holes . apply potting mix for acid - make out plant .
During the wintertime , keep the container outdoors but if you populate in an expanse with freeze frigid winters , the root are insufficiently isolate against the wintertime frigidity , unlike in garden soil . Either topographic point the potentiometer in a great container and fill up it with guts or mulch to produce a planting silo , or wrap the container in several layers of insulate material such as gunny , bubble wrap , or geotextiles for insulation .
Because mountain laurel grows slowly , it will only postulate repotting every few years when the root system has filled the potty .
Pests and Problems
passel Stan Laurel attracts borers , scale worm , whitened fly , and lace hemipteran . likely diseases include leafage speckle and blights .
How to Propagate Mountain Laurel
Mountain laurel is bestpropagated from cuttingsin the summer . Take a 6 - inch cutting of newfangled growth and remove the bottom leave . At the bottom of the cut , slice off two shaving of barque , about 1 to 1.5 in in duration , on opposite sides . Dip the bottom of the cut in rooting endocrine and insert it in a 4 - in pot meet with potting mixture , deep enough so that the nicked parcel is completely bury . Keep the cut evenly moist in a location out of direct sunlight . Rooting contain 4 to 6 months . During the wintertime , to protect the source from the cold , lay to rest the pot in the land or insulate it like you would a potted mountain Stan Laurel .
Types of Mountain Laurel
‘Elf’ Mountain Laurel
' Elf ' was the first dwarf great deal laurel introduced . It has large pinkish bud that open to nearly livid flower . It grow 3 foot tall and 4 substructure wide .
‘Minuet’ Mountain Laurel
This outstanding dwarf excerption bears light pink buds and pinkish flower with a bold crimson band . It farm 3 ft tall and wide .
‘Olympic Fire’ Mountain Laurel
' Olympic Fire ' shows off cerise - pink bud that unfold to dark pink flowers . It grows 10 feet tall and panoptic .
‘Peppermint’ Mountain Laurel
' Mentha piperita ' offers unique white flowers with obscure red streaks running to the edges . It grows 10 feet magniloquent and wide .
‘Snowdrift’ Mountain Laurel
Considered one of the best pure - white option , ' Snowdrift ' has racy , gloomy dark-green leaf that ’s very shiny . It grow 10 feet improbable and wide .
‘Tinkerbell’ Mountain Laurel
This dwarf option bear deep pink bud that open to reveal rich pink flowers . It grows 3 feet marvelous and wide .
Mountain Laurel Companion Plants
Solomon’s Seal
With its arching stems , Solomon ’s sealadds an architectural component part to garden beds . The root of this Greco-Roman shade garden industrial plant are lined with small-scale , buzzer - influence , white blooms in the springtime . These blossoms after give way to blueish - black Charles Edward Berry that wildlife making love . The airing and clopping substance abuse of this plant makes it an splendid groundcover for shady spot . Zone 3 - 9
Goatsbeard
The ferny foliage and wispy white blooms ofgoatsbeardlend airiness to gardens and calculate specially stunning en masse . Its efflorescence attract butterflies and bees . Goatsbeard plant like part shadiness and take shelter from the hot afternoon sun . They can only tolerate full sun in the northerly range of their hardiness . geographical zone 3 - 8
Wintergreen
Wintergreenoverflows with interest year - round . This perennial evergreen plant makes a colorful ground cover around spook - loving shrub for a low - maintenance garden . The attractive leaves are couple with whitened flowers in summertime and bright red Charles Edward Berry and crimson - bronze leafage in fall . Standing just 4 to 8 column inch marvellous , it hugs the ground , choking out sess while creating a dense lusterlessness of glossy foliage . Zone 3 - 8
Frequently Asked Questions
The bush needs to be at least three year old to bloom .
hatful Stan Laurel is toxic when ingested but good to advert . As a precaution , however , it is a in effect idea to wear out protective gloves when handling plants .
Mountain bay wreath may live for 70 years or more when well deal for .
Updated by Nadia Hassani
Mountain Laurel . ASPCA .
Kalmia latifolia . North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension .
