Kalmia latifolia
mountain laurel

Notes:

Native to dry, rocky sites.

All parts poisonous.

Missouri BG and NCSU rate this plant as resistant to deer, which just goes to show that the deer in Missouri and North Carolina must have awfully different tastes from the deer in New Jersey, who ravaged my own specimen three times before winter even hit (so, before they even got really desperate). Rutgers agrees with me on this.

Density is dependent on sun exposure.

AHS is an extreme outlier in claiming clay tolerance, while USDA is an outlier in claiming drought tolerance. Tolerance of compacted soil is debated (NCSU vs. USDA), as is soil fertility required.

Sources: White Oak, Sunset, NCSU, Stoecklein, Rutgers, JerseyYards.org, UConn, Missouri BG, AHS, USDA, Bir.

Tags:

acidic soil preferred
acidic soil required
alkaline soil intolerant
attracts:birds (ex-humming)
attracts:butterflies
attracts:hummingbirds
attracts:larval host
deadheading recommended
deer sensitive
dense canopy
difficult to grow
exposure:full shade
exposure:full sun
exposure:part shade
fire risk high
form:shrub
form:tree
habit:irregular
habit:rounded
long-lived
native:eastern North America
part shade preferred
persistence:evergreen
pest/disease sensitive
poisonous
salt intolerant
sandy soil tolerant
showy flowers
slow-growing
type:broadleaf
use:border
use:foundation
use:hedge
use:mass planting
use:naturalizing
water:regular
well-drained soil required
wind sensitive


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