Mountain Laurel
Kalmia latifolia
- Native to:
- United States
Arx Fortis (en.wikipedia.org) at English Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Genus:
- Kalmia
- Species:
- Kalmia latifolia
- USDA Symbol:
- KALA
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 450 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink, red
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Acrobasis amplexella, Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), lilac sphinx (Sphinx kalmiae), Rhododendron Borer (Synanthedon rhododendri)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica), Sanderson bumble (Bombus sandersoni), Two-spotted bumble (Bombus bimaculatus), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), Xylocopa tabaniformis Moths:Armyworm moth (Pseudaletia unipuncta), Azalea sphinx (Darapsa choerilus), Genista Broom Moth (Uresiphita reversalis), white slant-line (Tetracis cachexiata), White-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) Butterflies:Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis), ⚠️Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- butterflies, hummingbirds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown following fire. Often increases in density after low-intensity burns.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.0 (acidic)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers soils found in woodland and heathland areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination; sow on surface. Germination can be erratic and slow.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Mix 0.05 to 0.1 gram of seed with 4 to 8 grams of talc and sift over the surface of media. Alternatively, seeds can be cold stratified for 56 days.
Establishment: Most mortality occurs during the slow-growth, 2-leaf period when seedlings can become necrotic and die from too much water, deteriorating media, too low/high media temperature, fungus and insects. The plant is found in acid soils, mostly rocky or sandy, within temperate deciduous forests of North America.
Source: npn.rngr.net