Firecracker Kalmia (Mountain Laurel)

Kalmia, or mountain laurel, is beloved for its evergreen, glossy leaves. Firecracker Kalmia adds a beautiful bonus—a fireworks display of red and light pink to white color. In spring, cherry-red buds appear on this mountain laurel, opening to light pink to white flowers, creating a bicolored effect. Dark, glossy evergreen foliage covers the bush, and holds its color year-round. Birds find Firecracker Kalmia attractive, and pollinators will love it too. Plant as a specimen, or create a colorful hedgerow with this mountain laurel.

Kalmia is quite resistant to diseases such as leaf spot, but it is a particularly thirsty shrub. New plantings need 2 inches of water each week for the first season—about two hours with the average sprinkler system. Use organic mulch, such as pine needles or shredded bark, to help the soil hold moisture between watering. Mountain laurel begins forming the buds for next year's flowers soon after the flowers fade. Prune the shrub right after flowering so that next years' buds will have time to form. Kalmia latifolia 'Firecracker'