Pristine Mountain Laurel

Pristine in name, and pristine in appearance, the Pristine Mountain Laurel has crystal-white flowers in spring that will make it a stand-out addition to your rhododendron and azalea beds, complimenting them in both bloom and foliage. This plant is a variety of our native mountain laurel, Kalmia, so it fits into natural and native plantings, as well as into more organized beds. If you can grow a rhododendron, you can grow this beautiful small shrub, which matures around 3 feet tall and wide. Its attractive, evergreen glossy leaves are dark green and have a leathery texture, looking good all year round. By early winter you can already see the intriguing clusters of buds at the end of each branch. These develop through winter into fascinating ridged buds, already showing their color. Then in early spring they open up into remarkable 5-sided flowers in showy clusters, making a striking and beautiful display you will love. Mountain laurel deserve to be much more widely grown, and when you grow this one you will understand why.

• Leathery, dark-green leaves make a beautiful evergreen bush
• Tiny white buds are visible through late winter
• Pure white flowers open for a great display in early spring
• Ideal companion for rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias
• Grows in moist, acidic soil with partial shade

Remarkably hardy, the Pristine Mountain Laurel will grow in zone 5, as well as in all the warmer zones. In cool zones, if the soil is moist, plant in full sun. Otherwise, in all zones, grow it with morning sun and afternoon shade. In hot zones it will grow in light full shade, but too much will reduce blooming. The soil should be rich and moist, with an acidic pH value of 6.0 or less. If you don’t have suitable soil, it makes an excellent potted shrub that can be left outdoors all winter from zone 7. In colder zones bury the pot in the garden for the winter months. After a period of winter cold potted bushes could be brought into a cold porch or patio to enjoy early flowering. Deer don’t eat this plant, which has poisonous foliage, and it doesn’t normally have any serious pest or disease problems. No pruning is needed, just let it grow naturally, but young plants should have the dead flower heads trimmed off, to encourage more flowering the following year.