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Broadening the gardeners palette |
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Broadening the gardeners palette |
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Botanical Name: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Kalmia - Mountain Laurel
Kalmia Evergreen shrub Full sun to part shade Mountain Laurel The Mountain Laurel and its smaller, less familiar sibling the Sheep Laurel are among the most cherished of our native shrubs. They offer showy trusses of cup-shaped flowers in June (after the main Rhododendron display) and handsome evergreen foliage. The Laurels are often planted in association with Azaleas and Rhododendron (fellow members of the Heath Family) because they share a preference for evenly moist but well-drained, acid soil. Their leaves are poisonous to animals, and while deer have been known to browse them, it’s only as a last resort. Kalmia angustifolia – Sheep Laurel Because of the immense popularity of K. latifolia, this species will forever be regarded as the other Laurel, but that doesn’t reduce its charm in the slightest. It is smaller than its big brother (just 2ft tall), and its lovely blue-green foliage is narrower and therefore finer. The flowers are proportionately smaller but still quite showy. This delicate evergreen is well suited to naturalized plantings or the edge of a border. It thrives in full sun or partial shade and evenly moist, acid soil. A hard pruning every few years will keep plants in best form. Very hardy—to Zone 2.
K. angustifolia. This is the species, just the way Mother Nature made it. Its small, reddish pink flowers are borne in 2in clusters in June. Plants are low growing and stoloniferous, forming thickets about 2ft x 4ft.
K. angustifolia f. candida. The white version of the Sheep Laurel. Its flowers shine late into long June evenings. 2ft x 4ft.
Kalmia latifolia – Mountain Laurel The Mountain Laurel is a medium-size to large, multistemmed, evergreen shrub with glossy, leathery leaves and large clusters of cupped flowers in early summer. Wild plants typically have pink buds that open to white flowers, but the cultivars, many of which have been selected by Richard Jaynes, owner of Broken Arrow Nursery in Connecticut, offer buds and flowers in a range of pinks and reds, occasionally with striking markings. Mountain Laurels flower best in full sun, but they tolerate shade. They are well suited to informal, natural-looking gardens and are ideal for use along the edge of woods. Except as noted, the following cultivars will grow to a mature size of 7–10ft x 7–10ft. Zone 4. In addition to the cultivars listed below, we often have several others in production. Please call or stop by for our complete list.
K. l. ‘Bullseye’. Deep purplish buds open to white blooms with a broad, cinnamon purple band. The reddish new growth is almost as attractive as the flowers.
K. l. ‘Carol’. Bright red buds and blush pink flowers. The foliage is especially handsome—thick, glossy, and dark green with wavy edges.
NEW K. l. ‘Elf’. This neat little bush looks like a wild Mountain Laurel that shrank in the wash. Its leaves are smaller and more closely spaced, its flowers are smaller, and its growth rate is just a third of that of the species. For the customer who loves Mountain Laurels but is short on space, it’s perfect. Blooms are pink in bud, pure white when open. 3ft x 3ft.
NEW K. l. ‘Galaxy’. The flowers of this cultivar are deeply lobed instead of cupped, and they bear wine-colored markings. It’s an unusual and attractive look that stands out in the landscape and at the garden center.
K. l. ‘Hearts Desire’. Dark cinnamon red flowers with a contrasting white edge are borne in large and abundant trusses. New growth is purplish red, maturing dark green. Broad, densely branched habit. A choice selection. 5ft x 5ft.
K. l. ‘Little Linda’. A dwarf with red buds that open to rich pink flowers. The glossy dark green foliage is small, as befits a small plant, and rounded. Habit is well branched and stiffly upright. 3ft x 3ft.
K. l. ‘Minuet’. Another dwarf, this one with light pink buds and white flowers marked with a broad maroon band. Narrow, glossy foliage. 3ft x 3ft.
K. l. ‘Olympic Fire’. One of the standards in the trade. The clusters of large, bright red buds yield showy bunches of clear pink flowers, which are set off by glossy, dark green foliage with a distinctly wavy edge.
NEW K. l. ‘Peppermint’. Pure white flowers with deep red stripes that radiate from the center. This is one of Dick Jaynes’s latest introductions, and it’s an eye-catcher.
K. l. ‘Sarah’. This beauty offers bright red buds and the best red flowers of any Kalmia, plus excellent foliage and a dense, well-balanced habit. It’s always in great demand.
Kerria japonica ‘picta’ Deciduous shrub Part shade to shade The list of shrubs that thrive in shade is a short one, and this variegated beauty is near the top. It forms a twiggy mass of fine, bright green stems that are lined with small, serrated, gray-green leaves, each with a white edge. The variegation gives the plant a light, airy look that is useful for brightening a shady corner. The leaves hold late in fall, and after they drop, the green stems provide winter interest. On top of that, there are the flowers, which are Rose-like in appearance and warm yellow in color. They open in abundance in late April and early May, then sporadically all through summer. Kerria prefers evenly moist but well-drained soil, where it will spread by suckers to form a thicket. An annual shearing after the first flush of bloom in spring will help keep it full. 4ft x 6ft. Zone 5.
Kolkwitzia amabilis ‘pink cloud’ Deciduous shrub Full sun to shade Beauty Bush The Beauty Bush is a large deciduous shrub with an arching, vase-shaped habit. It earns its common name in late May and early June, when it becomes a glorious fountain of small, bell-shaped, clear pink blooms. It has blue-green foliage but is often bare at the legs, the better to show off its buff-colored bark, which exfoliates in large flakes. The Beauty Bush grows vigorously in any well-drained soil (it tolerates drought once established) and while it prefers full sun, it performs remarkably well in heavy shade. Given its size, it is best used on a large property where it has room to reach its potential. 8–10ft x 6–8ft. Very old plants may reach a height of 15ft. Zone 4. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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Environmentals, Inc., 22275 Main Road, Cutchogue, New York 11935, (631) 734-6439, Fax (631) 734-6452 info@environmentalsnursery.com
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