Kalmia latifolia 'Snowdrift'

RHS Plant Profile
mountain laurel 'Snowdrift'

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Bushy evergreen shrub 1.5-1.8m high with lance-shaped, glossy dark green leaves. From late spring to midsummer, large dome-shaped flowerheads of distinctively crimped, cup-shaped, snowy-white flowers are produced from white buds

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height
1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or 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)
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

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 but well-drained acidic soil in partial shade, or in sun where the soil remains reliably moist; mulch in spring with leaf mould or well-rotted pine needles

Propagation

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

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Low Maintenance
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Hedging and screens

Pruning

Pruning group 8. Renovate, if necessary, over several seasons

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