mountain laurel
Kalmia latifolia
RHS Plants for Pollinators
USDA zones4 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size5 to 15 feet tall5 to 15 feet wide
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer
- Bloom color
- Rose to white with purple markings
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral
- Toxicity
- Toxic to pets
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a shrub for borders, hedges, and accents. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry to moist, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. Rose to white flowers with purple markings open in flat-topped clusters, and a bee trips the stamens to spread pollen. It is not a favorite of deer or rabbits, though hungry ones will eat almost anything. All parts are toxic to pets.
Pairs well with New Jersey tea, Standing Ovation little bluestem, and New England aster.
Native range
North America, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Rhode I..