Kalmia latifolia 'ZEBULON'

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 as well as hardy 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 usually have a different colour than the flowers themselves.

Zebulon is a mountain laurel bred by Karl-Heinz Hübbers in 2003, and introduced 6 years later. It is a cross between large-flowered Ginkona, and white-flowered Peppermint. The result bears rich trusses with up to 100 individual flowers. They open from pale pink buds into large, 3-3.5 cm across, white flowers with a purple red star around the throat, and deep burgundy red dots in the centre of each petal. Flowers open continuously from late May until June. Zebulon forms an upright shrub with evergreen, narrowly elliptic, slightly undulated, leathery, acuminate, glossy leaves.

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 24-09-2018