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Kalmia angustifolia (Sheep Laurel)

Sheep Laurel, Lambkill Kalmia, Lambkill, Dwarf Laurel, Pig Laurel

AGM Award
Kalmia angustifolia, Sheep Laurel, Lambkill Kalmia, Lambkill, Dwarf Laurel, Pig Laurel, Flowering shrub, evergreen shrub, pink flowers
Kalmia angustifolia, Sheep Laurel, Lambkill Kalmia, Lambkill, Dwarf Laurel, Pig Laurel, Flowering shrub, evergreen shrub, pink flowers

Kalmia angustifolia (Sheep Laurel) is a bushy evergreen shrub boasting a profusion of small, deep pink, saucer-shaped flowers in early to mid-summer. Borne in dense terminal clusters, they are followed by small capsules containing many seeds, which may persist on the branches for several years. The glossy, narrowly-oval, leathery leaves are blue-green and turn reddish-green to purple in the fall. Sheep laurel forms a well-developed and closely interlacing network of rhizomes, creating sizable thickets over time. Native to northeastern North America, Sheep Laurel can be used in naturalized areas, foundation plantings, or woodland gardens.

  • Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
  • Grows up to 1-3 ft. tall (30-90 cm) and 4-6 ft. wide (120-180 cm).
  • Performs best in part shade in moist, acidic, well-drained soils. Will also grow in dry, sandy soils. Avoid planting in windy sites.
  • Perfect as a specimen plant or massed in shrub borders, cottage gardens, rock gardens, woodlands, or naturalized areas.
  • No serious pest or disease issues.
  • Prune immediately after flowering.
  • Deadheading promotes better blooms in the following years.
  • Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings.
  • All parts of this plant are toxic if ingested.
  • Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.
  • Sheep laurel is found in northeastern North America from Newfoundland and Labrador west through Ontario, south through Michigan, and occasionally as far south as Georgia.

Requirements

Hardiness 5 - 8
Heat Zones 7 - 8
Plant Type Shrubs
Plant Family Ericaceae
Common names Lambkill
Exposure Partial Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early, Mid)
Height 1' - 3'
(30cm - 90cm)
Spread 4' - 6'
(120cm - 180cm)
Spacing 48" - 72"
(120cm - 180cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low, Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen
Native Plants United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Midwest, Southeast, Virginia, West Virginia
Tolerance Dry Soil
Attracts Birds, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden
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Recommended Companion Plants

Picea mariana (Black Spruce)
Pinus banksiana (Jack Pine)
Populus tremuloides (American Aspen)
Betula papyrifera (Paper Birch)
Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen)
Comptonia peregrina (Sweet Fern)
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 5 - 8
Heat Zones 7 - 8
Plant Type Shrubs
Plant Family Ericaceae
Common names Lambkill
Exposure Partial Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early, Mid)
Height 1' - 3'
(30cm - 90cm)
Spread 4' - 6'
(120cm - 180cm)
Spacing 48" - 72"
(120cm - 180cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low, Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen
Native Plants United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Midwest, Southeast, Virginia, West Virginia
Tolerance Dry Soil
Attracts Birds, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden
How Many Plants
Do I Need?

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