Mountain Laurel (Kalmia Latifolia) Hardy enough for Wisconsin?

15 years ago

I have always loved the Mountain Laurel (Kalmia Latifolia) since seeing them in the wild out east, but I have rarely seen them in a Wisconsin home landscape.

I purchased 3 "Firecracker" Mountain Laurels from a online nursery that came highly recommended. I have the Mountain Laurels in my front foundation planting beds which face north-northeast. To accompany the Mountain Laurels I have other broadleaf evergreens as well as some redtwig dogwoods, keeping winter interest as my main focus when I was designing these foundation planting beds.

So far they are doing gorgeously, growing nicely and healthy. I often get people walking past the house stopping and asking what they are, especially when they were in bloom in early June.

The "Firecracker" is rated down to -25 degrees/Zone 4. A few gardening friends feel that the Mountain Laurel in general isn't hardy enough for our Wisconsin winters and feel that the "evergreen" feature wont hold up and they will drop their leaves come Jan/Feb when we are in the dead of winter.

Does anyone here been successful with Mountain Laurels here in Wisconsin? How did they hold up in our winters? Should I take any precautions to protecting them until they are a little bigger and hardier to handle our winters?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and feedback!

Amy

Featured Answer

wirosarian_z4b_WI

15 years ago

Amy, the one problem you may have with mountain laurel in your area is the pH of your garden soil. I used to live in Green Bay & I know that the soils in Eastern WI along Lake Michigan/I43 area are over a rock formation called Niagara dolomite limestone (they quarry the stuff down in Waukesha & call it Lannon stone). As a result the natural pH of the soils in this area is often in the high 7's. Mountain laurel needs a pH similar to azeleas & rhod., in the lower 5's. Because the underlying rock is limestone, I found it impossible to drop the pH below 7 when I lived in Green Bay. This may be why tj's laurels did not servive.

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Comments (9)

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
15 years ago
I tried one about 20 years ago that didn't make it, but I was so new to gardening any of a number of things could have done it in. They do need good drainage and may even benefit from planting a bit high on a mound (something I didn't do in my clay). A bit acid soil, dappled light, lots of organic material- that's about all I know.

tj
kms4me
15 years ago
I live in zone 4 Minnesota and we have 8 cultivars. Last winter we had an extended period of excessively low windchills (9 days) and they suffered some damage (leaf burn) but all recovered quickly by early summer. That is the first damage done to them in all the years we've grown them.

We have found that using Wilt-Pruf is very effective in overwintering them in good condition. We also have leucothoe, Japanese holly, and lots of very tall rhododendrons that also benefit from Wilt-Pruf treatment. It's really a great product (I have no connection with the product other than being an admirer of it!)

kms
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Kat SE Wisconsin z5
15 years ago
KMS, when do you apply the Wilt-Pruf? Is it a one time application?

Kat
kms4me
15 years ago
We apply Wilt-Pruf as late in the season as the weather allows--usually early to mid-November here in MN zone 4. It must be 40 degrees or warmer to apply it.

Also, we grew small kalmia plants in a sheltered nursery bed until they got a foot or so tall, then moved them to areas where they would be protected from the worst of the winter wind.
kms
Kat SE Wisconsin z5
15 years ago
Thanks for the info Kms. I have Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald 'n' Gold' which I was thinking of using Wilt-Pruf on. Thing is, I have rabbits that nibble on my plants and I was wondering if this could hurt them. Maybe on the other hand, it might repel them.

Kat
bellabloom
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I will have to look into the Wilt-Pruf for the Mountain Laurels as well as my other broadleaf evergreen shrubs.

Wirosarian, that makes total sense. I did have my soil tested and it was on the alkaline side. To help with my acidic loving plants I periodically throw in freshly used coffee grounds around those plants, working the grounds into the soil, to give them a little boost. My Rhodo's and my Mountain Laurels seem to be loving this treatment - well, except for one Mountain Laurel which doesn't look like it is going to make it regardless.

I guess only time will tell. Hopefully next spring I will only have the one Mountain Laurel to replace rather than replacing all 3 with a different shrub all together.
HU-431148803
2 years ago
Amy, how did your mountain laurels fare in Wisconsin? I'm near Monroe, and am hoping to find one that will work. (thanks for any notes!)
Barbara Kondrick
6 months ago
I live near Luck, Wisconsin (western Wisconsin). Do you know if any nurseries near hear sell Mountain Laurel plants or do I need to order them online?

Mountain Laurel (Kalmia Latifolia) Hardy enough for Wisconsin?

wirosarian_z4b_WI

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tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱

kms4me

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Mountain Laurel (Kalmia Latifolia) Hardy enough for Wisconsin?

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