Kalmia latifolia 'TIDDLYWINKS' dwarf mountain laurel
Kalmia
Honestly, we are nuts about kalmias –
mountain laurels. Not very well known, these mid-sized shrubs deserve more attention as they belong to the most beautiful flowering evergreen shrubs of our climate. They come from south-eastern USA and the Asian mountains where they grow under taller trees. There are many cultivars combining all sorts of red, pink and burgundy shades with white, all of them beautiful, all of them very hardy. The best display is when half of the bloom cluster is still in buds which mostly have a different colour than the flowers themselves.
Tiddlywinks is one of a few dwarf mountain laurels available so far. It was bred by Richard Jaynes in 1978 and introduced to trade ten years later. It makes a profusion of smaller flowers that are soft pink outside, almost white inside, and open from pink buds. It is very similar to kalmia myrtifolia but Tiddlywinks makes glossier, not so stiff leaves. They are evergreen, narrowly elliptic, leathery, and dark green. The plant grows slowly into a rounded shrub.
Last update 31-01-2019
For a happy life it MUST HAVE acidic soil (add plenty of peat). Do not dig a deep hole but a wide one. Plant it in light, well drained soil that has to be well mulched to keep the surface roots moist at all times. Full sun is best for profuse flowering. Fertilize in spring and early autumn with rhododendron fertilizers. Use water solutions or slow-release fertilizers that will not burn the delicate surface roots. Fully hardy to -34°C (USDA zone 4) and suitable for outdoor pots all year round.
