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Look at my Mountain Laurel!!!!
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Posted by von1 z4 NY (My Page) on Thu, Jun 22, 06 at 22:34
Couldn't resist showing the flowers on this shrub that I bought last fall. A second plant-different variety-didn't bloom. We protected this one with chicken wire and a piece of plywood on the top. The non blooming plant just had the wire around it. I should mention that there is a hosta growing up through the branches. I'm running out of room!!!!!
Pink Globe Mountain Laurel
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Look at my Mountain Laurel!!!!
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| That is just beautiful. I've been trying to grow it from seed for several years with no luck. Worth the extra effort! |
RE: Look at my Mountain Laurel!!!!
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- Posted by janetr Ottawa USDA 4a (My Page) on
Fri, Jun 23, 06 at 13:27
| As a lover of oleander, I'm strongly tempted to grow this one. Sort of like a hardy oleander! Lovely stuff. Janet's Garden |
RE: Look at my Mountain Laurel!!!!
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| Beautiful blooms! Your plant looks very happy & healthy. I planted mine in dry shade and it sadly passed on to plant heaven. : ( They like lots of moisture. Jen |
RE: Look at my Mountain Laurel!!!!
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Congratulation!
You have a lot of courage to plant it in your z4 and you won!
Take it from Connecticut's kalmias lover, where they grow like a weeds.
Here are few pictures of another kalmias you might want to consider in a future, Carousel
 Keepsake
 Despite the popular belief that kalmias are shade lovers (they are shade tolerant, that's it) kalmias if planted in a too shady location will not bloom as good as those that are planted in part to full sun. The main trick is to give them protection from the WINTER sun to avoid dissecation of the leaves. In their young years they need to be protected (as you did) from the cold AND from the sun, but later on, winter sun will be your worse enemy. Use wilt-pruff and/or burlap wrap/screen.
Water well before ground will be frozen, but do not overwater in a summer (especially if planted in a shade), cause Phytophora ramorum fungus while being harmless to overall plant's health could seriously ruin aesthetic appearance of the leaves. Good luck!
Now I'm convinced that I could grow camellias! |
RE: Look at my Mountain Laurel!!!!
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- Posted by janetr Ottawa USDA 4a (My Page) on
Mon, Jun 26, 06 at 12:32
RE: Look at my Mountain Laurel!!!!
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| In answer to the question how tall they get - about the same as a lilac. We've had one in our backyard for about 30 years, and it's about 10 feet tall. They grow wild in the woods around here, and I'm sure some of them are taller than ours. But I'm sure they could be pruned back. Ours is just the wild variety, not a named cultivar. |
RE: Look at my Mountain Laurel!!!!
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Right, 10'+.
However, Kalmias are very slow growing plants, 3-4"/year is the most you should expect from established plant.
They are naturaly leggy and in most cases if left to their own become a bare 6-7' tall trunks plus 3' of greenery on a very top. In this case only pruning to the stab (complete rejuvenation) is the remedy. They respond well to such treatment (the same way as rhodies) and produce a lot of new growth from the base.
Judicial pruning at young age is recommended to prevent legginess, but in this case you may end up with only 2" of growth per year. |
RE: Look at my Mountain Laurel!!!!
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- Posted by janetr Ottawa USDA 4a (My Page) on
Wed, Jun 28, 06 at 13:34
| Thanks! They look like such a great addition to a shady spot. |
RE: Look at my Mountain Laurel!!!!
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- Posted by von1 z4 NY (My Page) on
Wed, Jun 28, 06 at 18:38
| there are dwarf varieties also now. |
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