Kalmia latifolia 'GALAXY'

Honestly, we are nuts about kalmias – mountain laurels. Not very well known, these mid-sized shrubs deserve more attention as they belong to the most beautiful flowering evergreen shrubs of our climate. They come from south-eastern USA and the Asian mountains where they grow under taller trees. There are many cultivars combining all sorts of red, pink and burgundy shades with white, all of them beautiful, all of them very hardy. The best display is when half of the bloom cluster is still in buds which mostly have a different colour than the flowers themselves.

Galaxy is a very unusual variety of mountain laurel. Its complete botanical name is kalmia latifolia f.polypetala which means that it has strictly divided petals and that is unusual for a mountain laurel. The flowers make the same effect as deutzia. They are a combination of deep burgundy red and white and there are so many of them that they can cover the top of the plant. The evergreen leaves are leathery, dark green, and glossy. It is the fastest grower ever known, in 10 years it may grow some 1.3m tall and about a meter wide.

For a happy life it MUST HAVE acidic soil (add plenty of peat). Do not dig a deep hole but a wide one. Plant it in light, well drained soil that has to be well mulched to keep the surface roots moist at all times. Full sun is best for profuse flowering. Fertilize in spring and early autumn with rhododendron fertilizers. Use water solutions or slow-release fertilizers that will not burn the delicate surface roots. Fully hardy to -34°C (USDA zone 4).

Last update 21-04-2010