Kalmia latifolia Madeline - Mountain Laurel

Kalmia latifolia Madeline, also known as Mountain Laurel, is a heathland bush with a bushy and dense habit, with evergreen leaves. It offers exquisite and abundant double campanulate, pale pink to white flowers, with dark pink outer petals.  These appear at the end of spring. Its dark, glossy, and leathery foliage gives this plant a strong presence and all year round elegance. Delicious!

Kalmia latifolia, native to the mountains of Eastern North America, also known as Mountain Laurel or American Laurel, belongs to the Ericaceae family, like Heather and Rhododendron. This broad-leaf Kalmia Madeline is of a modest-sized evergreen shrub, not exceeding 1.20 metres (3 feet 11 inches) in all directions, with slow growth. Its well-branched trunk gives it a bushy, compact and somewhat erect habit. Its evergreen, glossy dark green foliage, with a lighter underside, is made up of small varnished, leathery and thick, alternate and lanceolate leaves (like those of Rhododendrons or Laurels), thus guaranteeing very decorative interest all year round. The show is at its peak in early summer, during its very spectacular flowering! Indeed, in May-June, it is completely covered with double flowers in very soft shades. Each branch carries terminal clusters (corymbs) of small pinkish white flowers, in the shape of 5-sided, very flared, campanulate corollas, 2 to 2.5 cm (0.8 to 1 in) in diameter, with a wide pale pink crown, and carrying 10 purple stamens attached to the petals. The flowers do not all bloom together, the corymbs present astonishing contrasts between the unopen veined floral buds, and the already bloomed flowers. After flowering, if they have not fallen, the flowers give way to fruits in the form of brown capsules, which last all winter.

Kalmias are unjustly unknown. Their flowers are enchanting.  They are particularly hardy heathland bushes that should be planted in semi-shade, moist and humus-rich soil. Assuredly exquisite, very decorative and uncommon, Kalmia Madeline will work beautifully in the garden, where it will highlight all the surrounding plants!  It can be used in many ways. It will be the ideal companion for ericaceous plants (Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camellias, Heathers, Hydrangeas, Japanese Maples, Magnolias, Andromedas, Cyclamens...). It will work wonders in an informal hedge, in mixed shrub planting, mixed into a perennial bed, around a pond, or even planted as a specimen. Due to its small size, it is perfectly suitable for pots on balconies or patios, provided the soil is kept constantly moist.

Properties:

Kalmia latifolia is a shrub which is entirely toxic to humans as well as for animals (dogs, cats, sheep, horses) when eaten, including its leaves, flowers, fruits and roots.

However, it is used in homeopathy for pain relief. In the past, its very hard wood was used to make many tools, including wooden spoons, hence its English nickname of Spoonwood.

Anecdote:

The genus name Kalmia was chosen by Carl von Linnaeus, in honour of Pehr Kalm, a famous Swedish botanist, who was one of the first to explore the flora in some parts of North America from 1747 to 1751.

The flower of the Kalmia latifolia is the emblem of the States of Connecticut and Pennsylvania.