Kalmia latifolia Mountain Laurel
Height: 5.00 to 15.00 feet
Spread: 5.00 to 15.00 feet
Bloom Time: May
Bloom Description: Rose to white with purple markings
Sun: Part shade
Water: Medium
Tolerate: Rabbit, Deer
Kalmia latifolia, commonly called mountain laurel, is a gnarled, multi-stemmed, broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree that is native to Eastern North America. It is noted for its excellent spring flowers and quality year round foliage. It typically grows as a dense rounded shrub to 5-15’ tall, opening up and developing gnarly branches with age. Flowers appear in clusters typically covering the shrub in late May-June for several weeks with an often exceptional bloom. Each flower (to 1” across) is cup shaped with five sides and ranges in color from rose to white with purple markings inside. If not deadheaded, flowers give way to non-showy brown fruits that persist into winter. Glossy evergreen leaves are dark green above and yellow green beneath and reminiscent to the leaves of rhododendrons. Kalmia latifolia is the state flower of Connecticut.