Kalmia latifolia Otsbo Red - Mountain Laurel

Kalmia latifolia 'Otsbo Red' is a historical variety of mountain laurel, the one that first showed red flower buds. If its habit lacks a bit of density, its flowering is simply delightful: bright red in bud, they bloom into bright pink corollas, fading into a softer pink flowers.  The whole plant creates an amazing display in a range of pink and red, all the more brilliant if the shrub benefits from a sunny position. It flowers abundantly, even when young, and remains elegant all year round, with its beautiful matte green foliage.

Kalmia latifolia, native to the mountains of eastern North America, and also known as Mountain Laurel or American Laurel, belongs to the Ericaceae family, like Heather and the Rhododendron. This broad-leaved Kalmia Otsbo Red, selected in 1940 in the U.S.A, is a modestly sized, evergreen bush, not exceeding 1.50m (4 ft 11 in) in height for 2m (6 ft 7 in) in width, and of slow growth. The adult size is reached in ten years, the plant can live 50 years. Its branched trunk gives it a bushy habit, spread out and somewhat ungainly. Its matte green evergreen foliage, with a lighter underside, is made up of small concave, leathery and thick, alternate and lanceolate leaves (like those of Rhododendrons or Laurels), thus guaranteeing a very decorative interest all year round. In Otsbo Red, the leaves are a bit narrower and more twisted than in most varieties. The plant is at its peak in May-June, when its flowers appear. Each branch carries terminal clusters (corymbs) of small pink flowers which are redder on the outside and pink to rose white on the inside. These are 5-sided, very flared, campanulate corollas, 2 to 2.5 cm (0.8 to 1 in) in diameter, each petal bordered in white. Each flower carries 10 stamens with dark red anthers  housed on the petals. The flowers do not bloom all at once, the corymbs present astonishing contrasts between the bright cherry red unopened floral buds, and the already bloomed pink flowers. After flowering, if they have not fallen, the flowers give way to fruits in the form of brown capsules, which last through winter.

Kalmias are unjustly overlooked. Their flowering is enchanting, they are particularly hardy heathland bushes that should be planted in semi-shade, in moist and humus-rich soil. Highly decorative and too little known, Kalmia Otsbo Red will look wonderful planted in the garden, where it will beautifully highlight all the plants around it! It can be used in many ways. It will be the ideal companion for ericaceous plants (Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camellias, Heathers, Hydrangeas, Japanese Maples, Magnolias, Andromedas, Cyclamens...). This kalmia pairs particularly well with Rhododendron canescens, Euonymus americana (the American purple spindle in autumn), Dicentra eximia, Polystichum acrostichoides (a pretty fern), Gillenia trifoliata (excessively light) and Leucothoe axillaris with its crimped and changing foliage. 

Properties :

Kalmia latifolia is a shrub which is entirely toxic to humans as well as for animals (dogs, cats, sheep, horses) when eaten, including its leaves, flowers, fruits and roots.

However, it is used in homeopathy for pain relief. In the past, its very hard wood was used to make many tools, including wooden spoons, hence its English nickname of Spoonwood.

Anecdote :

The genus name Kalmia, was chosen by Carl von Linne, in tribute to Pehr Kalm, famous Swedish botanist, who was one of the first to explore the flora in certain parts of North America from 1747 to 1751.

The flower of the Kalmia latifolia is the emblem of the states of Connecticut and Pennsylvania.