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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchMountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is an evergreen shrub native to eastern North America, valued for clusters of white-to-pink spring and early-summer flowers. It grows best in acidic, moist but well-drained soil and partial shade. The plant is poisonous if eaten, so keep people and grazing animals from consuming it.
What is mountain laurel?
Mountain laurel is a broad-leaved evergreen shrub in the heath family, Ericaceae. It is also called calico bush or spoonwood. Its native range extends across the eastern United States, from southern Maine to Louisiana and northern Florida, where it grows in places such as rocky or sandy woods, acidic forests, mountain slopes, meadows and woodland edges.
Mountain laurel is Pennsylvania’s state flower. Penn State Extension reported in an article updated June 23, 2026, that at least 75 cultivars are available. Cultivars can differ in flower color and mature size, so check the plant’s expected dimensions and suitability for your local climate before choosing one.
How to identify mountain laurel
Look for an evergreen shrub with clusters of white, pink or rose-colored flowers. Individual blooms have a distinctive mechanism: anthers are held under tension and spring forward when an insect brushes the flower. That unusual pollen-release action is a useful detail to look for up close, but identification should also take the plant’s foliage and growth habit into account.
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- LIVE PLANT: One of the most aggressive growing of the small leaf Kalmias, 'Tinkerbell' is a show-off both in form and landscape performance.
- READY TO PLANT: Upright growing branches spread as they age produce a dense, rounded, bulky presence balanced by delicate foliage which gives a fine textured appearance to the plant. 'Tinkerbell' will bud heavily, and deep pink bunches open as pure pink flower trusses in early June. It can be planted immediately upon arrival, weather premitting
- POPULAR USES: It's a perfect plant for foundation or for border groupings and a must-have for the landscape. Great for foundation planting, works well with other broadleaf evergreens.
- PLANTING GUIDANCE: This Mountain Laurel performs great in partial shade to full sun but requires a cool, moist, acidic, organic soil for best performance. For best results, plant in USDA Zone:5-8 - Mature size: 4-5ft H x 4-5ft W
- SIZES: This Kalmia is delivered right to your home in a #2 Size Container, 2 Gallon.
When does mountain laurel bloom?
Mountain laurel generally flowers in spring or early summer. The exact timing varies with location, so a fixed calendar date is not reliable across its broad native range. Flower color also varies among plants and cultivars, from white to pink and rose.
How do you grow mountain laurel?
Choose a site that can provide acidic soil, reliable moisture without waterlogging, and partial shade. Extension guidance consistently emphasizes good drainage; mountain laurel is not a good choice for persistently wet ground or a site prone to prolonged drought. Virginia Cooperative Extension describes it as relatively exacting in cultivation. Virginia Tech professor Alex X. Niemiera summarizes the soil requirement as: “Plants require a well-drained moist acid soil with ample organic matter.”
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- LIVE PLANT: Enjoy this Mountain Laurel with dense multi-stemmed, brilliant red buds open with a broad cinnamon red band which almost fills the white corolla.
- READY TO PLANT: A vigorous grower with new growth, reddish in color. Dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub that blends into the landscape. It can be planted immediately upon arrival, weather premitting
- POPULAR USES: Kaleidoscope is low maintenance, great for mass planting or a nice garden shrub.
- PLANTING GUIDANCE: This Mountain Laurel will perform well in both full sun and full shade. It requires moist well-drained soil and must have rich, acidic soils. For best results, plant in USDA Zone:5-8 - Mature size: 8-10ft H x 8-10ft W
- SIZES: This Kalmia is delivered right to your home in a #2 Size Container, 2 Gallon.
Check the site before planting
- Soil: Acidic, humus-rich soil with organic matter is preferred.
- Moisture and drainage: Keep the soil moist, but ensure excess water can drain away.
- Light: Partial shade is the consistent recommendation.
- Local conditions: Climate and cultivar affect how well a plant establishes, so confirm a selected cultivar suits your area and available space.
Spring mulch is also recommended by the Royal Horticultural Society. No single cultivar choice is established as best for every region; compare mature size, flower color, local climate suitability and the seller’s shipping region when selecting a mountain laurel shrub.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is mountain laurel poisonous?
Yes. Mountain laurel contains toxic compounds and should not be eaten; do not consume any part of the plant. Keep livestock and other grazing animals from browsing it. The University of North Florida Botanical Garden notes that livestock poisoning from browsing mountain laurel can be fatal. The sources cited here do not establish a human dose, symptom profile or treatment protocol, so suspected ingestion warrants contacting an appropriate medical or veterinary professional rather than relying on gardening guidance.
Quick Recap
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- LIVE PLANT: Spreading branches hold lustrous, deep green, evergreen foliage. Flower buds begin to show in spring and, as May turns to June, the buds are a brilliant red.
- READY TO PLANT: Bloom opens in early June creating a truss of pastel pink flowers that shine against its deep, dark foliage backdrop. Flowers attract native pollinators and butterflies. Arrives fully rooted in the soil and can be planted immediately upon arrival, weather permitting.
- POPULAR USES: Pleasing, rounded form is perfect for use as a single specimen or grouped to form an evergreen hedge. Thrives in partial to full shade
- PLANTING GUIDANCE: Thrives best in full sun and full shade and requires an evenly moist, well-drained soils for optimal growth. For best results, plant in USDA Zone:5-8 - Mature size: 7-8ft H x 7-8ft W
- SIZES: This Kalmia is delivered right to your home in a #3 Size Container, 3 Gallon.
Rank #4
- LIVE PLANT: Spreading branches hold lustrous, deep green, evergreen foliage. Flower buds begin to show in spring and, as May turns to June, the buds are a deep burgundy red. Bloom opens in early June creating a truss of raspberry pink flowers that shine against its deep, dark foliage backdrop. Flowers attract native pollinators and butterflies.
- READY TO PLANT: Native songbirds love this plant for its cover and nesting possibilities and will also eat the dried capsules that form from spent flowers in the summer and fall. Arrives fully rooted in the soil and can be planted immediately upon arrival, weather permitting.
- POPULAR USES: Pleasing, rounded form is perfect for use as a single specimen or grouped to form an evergreen hedge. Thrives in partial to full shade
- PLANTING GUIDANCE: Likes enriched, well-drained soil and mulch. Remove spent flowers. Prune after flowering. For best results, plant in USDA Zone:4-8 - Mature size: 4-5ft H x 4-5ft W
- SIZES: This Kalmia is delivered right to your home in a #3 Size Container, 3 Gallon.
Rank #3
- For Best results, plant in usda zone: 5-8 - mature size: 8-10ft H x 8-10ft w
- Plant is delivered in a #3 size container. It is fully rooted in the soil and can be planted immediately upon arrival, weather permitting.
- Grows well in partial shade.
- Soft pink flowers in late may and early June really put on a show.
- Perfect for naturalizing along the edges of wooded areas. Thrives in partial shade
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