Fundamental Facts
HARDINESS: Zones 4 to 8
PREFERRED SOIL pH: Acid
PREFERRED SOIL TYPE: Fertile, moist, organic
PREFERRED LIGHT: Partial shade
ATTRIBUTES: Clusters of cuplike flowers; for foundations, woodland gardens
SEASON OF INTEREST: Year-round for foliage; blooms late spring to early summer
FAVORITES: Standard 'Bullseye', 'Olympic Fire'; dwarf 'Elf, 'Tiddlywinks'
QUIRKS: May develop root rot and languish or die in poorly drained soil
GOOD NEIGHBORS: Azalea, hydrangea, dogwood, rhododendron, winterberry holly, ferns
WHERE IT GROWS BEST: Rocky woodland areas with cold winters and mild summers
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: Leaf spot, root rot
PRUNING: Lives many years; prune rarely, only to remove dead twigs
CRITTER RESISTANCE: Good
SOURCE: Nursery plants
DIMENSIONS: Wild species 8-12 ft (2.4-3.7 m) tall, 8 ft 12.4 m) wide; cultivated forms 2-8 ft (0.6-2.4 m) tall, 2-6 ft (0.6-1.8 m) wide; leaves 5 in (12.7 cm) long
Mountain Laurel in the Landscape
Mountain laurel is one of the most beautiful native North American shrubs. Blooming in late spring or early summer, it sends out clusters of white, pink, or red, cup-shaped blossoms, each marked with darker spots or splashes. The shrub's nickname, calico bush, refers to these colorful splattered and splotched petals.
With its long, leathery, narrow leaves, mountain laurel looks elegant at the edge of a wood, especially in the company of azaleas, rhododendrons, and oakleaf hydrangea. It also makes a beautiful accent shrub for shady rock gardens or foundation plantings. This evergreen can tolerate a half day of sun, which often improves its flowering, but in hot-summer climates, the plants are healthier when grown mostly in shade.
Mountain Laurels Old and New
The wild species grow slowly into large, contorted, rangy plants with woody stems shaped by the light and wind patterns of the site. The pink flower buds open to white blossoms with dark pink markings. If you already have wild mountain laurels on your property, preserve them by clearing away weeds or vines that compete for moisture and nutrients. No other special care is needed.
When adding mountain laurels to a more structured garden, choose modern cultivars that have been developed for diverse flower colors, faster growth, and compact growth habit. If you want a large shrub with richly colored flowers, consider 'Bullseye'. It bears white blossoms flushed with maroon on plants that eventually reach 6-8 ft (1.8-2.4 m) tall. 'Olympic Fire' is smaller at 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m) tall but no less striking. The buds are bright crimson and open to pale pink flowers speckled in red. A dwarf cultivar, 'Elf', grows less than 3 ft (1 m) tall but spreads 4-5 ft (1.2-1.5 m) and bears shell pink buds that open to white flowers. Smaller still is the deep pink 'Tiddlywinks', which barely reaches 2 ft (0.6 m) tall and an equal width at maturity.
Growing Mountain Laurel
Choose a site with good drainage and prepare planting holes by working in a 3 in (7.6 cm) deep layer of compost, leaf mold, or peat moss. Set plants slightly higher than they grew in their containers, water well, and cover the root zone with a 2 in (5.1 cm) layer of organic mulch, such as shredded bark or compost. Keep the root zone barely moist for 2 months after planting, but allow it to become nearly dry between waterings. Soggy soil leads to fatal root rot.
Fertilize established mountain laurels each summer. Apply a granular fertilizer designed to maintain soil acidity at half the rate recommended on the label, or apply garden sulfur as needed to achieve a pH of 4.5-5.8. Limit pruning to trimming off dead twigs. Never cut stem tips, which will keep the plant from flowering.
By late summer, you may see a few fungal leaf spots. Pick off unsightly leaves. The plants will endure this natural stress and grow replacements.
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