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Kalmia polifolia f. leucantha

white-flowered calico bush

Small, wiry, evergreen shrub 30-50cm tall, with shiny, narrow, dark green leaves, glaucous beneath. Racemes of distinctively crimped, saucer-shaped bright white flowers to 2cm across, are produced in terminal clusters from mid to late spring

Synonyms

Kalmia polifolia 'Alba'

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Poorly–drained

pH

Acid

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Ericaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets (dogs, cats, rabbits, tortoises): Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Kalmia are evergreen shrubs with simple, leathery leaves and racemes or corymbs of bowl-shaped flowers in spring or summer
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist, humus-rich, acid soil in partial shade, or in sun where the soil remains reliably moist; mulch in spring with leaf mould or well-rotted pine needles. In its native habitat this species grows in swamps and boggy soils

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in midsummer or layering in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Rock garden
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 8 if necessary, but no pruning is required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility

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