Kalmia latifolia Windmill - Mountain Laurel

The Kalmia latifolia 'Windmill' is a evergreen bush of heather soil that offers one of the most beautiful spring flowering displays. This plant with moderate growth is adorned with beautiful dark green evergreen foliage, ornamental throughout the seasons. Its dark vegetation serves as a beautiful backdrop to highlight the light flowering. The floral buds of a soft pink color open into corollas in the shape of wide cups. Their pinkish white color is enhanced by a highly decorative red star-like ornamentation. This bush cannot tolerate limestone or drought and requires acidic, moist, and well-drained soil, in a semi-shaded exposure. If the soil is not suitable, its slow growth and moderate size allow it to be grown in a container.

The Wide-leaved Kalmia, also known as the mountain laurel or American laurel, is a member of the Ericaceae family. Rich in about a hundred genera, this botanical family hosts, in addition to the vast group of Rhododendrons, other lesser-known ornamental plants (Enkianthus, Oxydendron...), and even small fruit trees (Strawberry tree, Blueberry bush...). The genus Kalmia comprises about twenty species native to North America. Kalmia latifolia thus grows wild in the shade of Oak and Mountain Pine forests in eastern Canada (Quebec and New Brunswick) and the eastern United States, down to Florida. In its natural habitat, it can grow into a small tree of 12 m high, but in our parks and gardens, it generally reaches a maximum of 2 to 3 m.
'Windmill' is a horticultural variety obtained by Dr. Karl-Heinz Hübbers, a German breeder, using the pollen of 'Tofka', a beautiful compact variety with pastel flowers speckled with dark red, to pollinate the 'Hania' variety, an even more compact variety with pink flowers. The crossbreeding done in 2010 led to its market release in 2021, after the variety was named in 2019 by Tadeusz Kusibab, a Polish director of an in-vitro laboratory. 'Windmill' is like its parents, a slow-growing bush with a compact habit, reaching a height of 0.90 to 1 m and a width of 0.80 m after 10 years of cultivation. Mature specimens will not exceed 1.50 m in all directions, allowing its use in small gardens, and even in decorative pots or containers. The bush has an upright, irregular silhouette, composed of slightly stiff erect branches. The pleasantly dark green leaves have an elliptical lanceolate shape, measuring 8 to 10 cm long by about 4 cm wide. Evergreen, their surface is smooth and glossy, with occasionally undulating edges, and a somewhat tough texture. This dark background is ideal for enhancing the lighter flowering. Well before the flowering, the floral buds are already very decorative. With their candy pink color and curious ribbed shape, they could be mistaken for sweets, but beware, like all other parts of the plant, they are toxic if ingested! In May-June, they gradually bloom at their own pace, providing a truly exquisite long-lasting flowering. The corymbs, measuring 12 cm long or more, consist of dozens of flowers at various stages of maturity. The corolla measures up to 3.5 cm in diameter and takes on a spreading cup shape. It is made up of petals fused along their length (referred to as gamopetalous flowers) that give it all its character and a slightly romantic charm. Red streaks extend from the base to the periphery, widening from the middle and forming a particularly ornamental intricate star. One can easily discern the shape of windmill blades that give this cultivar its name 'Windmill'. The display is magnificent in the second half of spring and attracts all eyes in the garden.

The 'Windmill' mountain laurel is a bush, indeed quite demanding in terms of soil, humidity, and shade, but its flowering fully justifies finding a spot for it in the garden. It can be grown in a container with acidic substrate if your soil is limestone and will not fear frost, as it is very hardy. In the ground, you can easily integrate it into a bed of heather soil plants, alongside Rhododendrons and Azaleas, allowing you to create a vibrant and colourful scene for several weeks by selecting staggered flowering varieties. In the back of the bed, a beautiful Magnolia grandiflora will help you create a shaded atmosphere to meet the needs of its semi-shade plants.

Beware of children and pets, as all parts of the plant are toxic (leaves, buds, and flowers).