Mountain laurel shrubs are eastern North American natives with beautiful, unique, cup-shaped flowers that bloom in the spring and summer in shades of white to pink. They are usually used as landscape plants and can often be seen blooming in dappled shade under trees and taller shrubs. Can you grow mountain laurel in a pot though? Keep reading to learn more about caring for mountain laurel in containers.
How to Grow a Potted Mountain Laurel
Can you grow mountain laurel in a pot? The short answer is, yes. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a large shrub that can reach as much as 20 feet (6 m.) in height. There are dwarf varieties available, however, that are much more suited to container life. “Minuet” is one such variety, a very small shrub that reaches only 3 feet (1 m.) in height and breadth and produces pink flowers with a bright red ring through the middle. “Tinkerbell” is another excellent dwarf variety that grows to only 3 feet (1 m.) tall and wide and produces vibrant pink flowers. These and other dwarf varieties are usually compact enough to live happily for years in large containers.
Caring for Container Grown Mountain Laurels
Potted mountain laurel plants should be treated more or less the same as their cousins in the garden. It’s a common misconception that mountain laurels like deep shade because they tend to grow in the wild under leafy canopies. While it’s true that they will tolerate shade, they actually perform best in dappled to partial sunlight, where they will produce the most blooms. They are not drought tolerant and require regular watering, especially during periods of drought. Remember that container plants always dry out more quickly than plants in the ground. Most mountain laurels are hardy down to USDA zone 5, but container plants are much less resistant to cold. If you live in zone 7 or below, you should provide winter protection by moving your container grown mountain laurels to an unheated garage or shed, or submerging their pots in the ground for the winter.
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Texas Mountain Laurel Care: What Is A Texas Mountain Laurel BushTexas mountain laurel is a tough evergreen shrub or small tree known for its attractive, fragrant flowers and extreme drought hardiness. If you’d like to learn more about growing Texas mountain laurels in the landscape, the following article can help get you started.
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Texas Mountain Laurel Won’t Bloom: Troubleshooting A Flowerless Texas Mountain LaurelWe often get questions about how to get flowers on Texas mountain laurel plants. In fact, no flowers on Texas mountain laurel seem to be a common occurrence. Click this article to learn possible reasons why your Texas mountain laurel won’t bloom.
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Mountain Laurel Trimming Tips: How To Prune Mountain Laurel BushesGrowing to a general height and width of five to eight feet (1.5 to 2 m.), cutting back mountain laurels may occasionally be necessary to fit the space they are in. To learn how to prune mountain laurel shrubs, click on this article for more information.
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Mountain Laurel Irrigation: How To Water A Mountain Laurel ShrubA sometimes overlooked North American native, mountain laurel is a very hardy, shade tolerant shrub that produces beautiful, showy flowers where many other plants will not. Learn more about mountain laurel water needs in this article.
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Growing New Mountain Laurels: Learn About Mountain Laurel PropagationPropagating from plants in your yard is cheaper and more rewarding. Growing new mountain laurels can be done by a couple of accepted methods: by seed and by cuttings. Find out how to propagate mountain laurel shrubs in this article.
