Kalmia latifolia 'LITTLE LINDA'

Kalmia latifolia 'LITTLE LINDA'
mountain laurel

SIZE/TYPE	medium-sized shrub
USUAL HEIGHT	0.5-1m
USUAL WIDTH	0.5-1m
LEAVES	evergreen broadleaf
COLOUR OF LEAVES	green
FLOWERS	showy
COLOUR OF FLOWERS	combined:white and pink and deep pink
BLOOMING TIME	May - June
LOCATION	full to partial sun
SOIL TYPE	acidic (peaty)
SOIL MOISTURE REQUIREMENTS	evenly moist (dislikes drought)
USDA zone (lowest)	4 (down to -34°C)
WINTER PROTECTION
FOR ZONE 5+6
FOR ZONE 7
BELONGS TO CATEGORIES	Evergreen broadleaf Rhododendrons, azaleas, and mountain laurels

Little Linda is a bit older variety of mountain laurel bred by Richard Jaynes in 1982. It was awarded AGM (Award of Garden Merit) by the Royal Horticultural Society in England in 2002. Its female parent is Star Cluster which bears white flowers with a rich maroon band. Surprisingly, Little Linda came out entirely different.

Little Linda mountain laurel bears smaller flowers compared to the species of other varieties. They open from rich pink buds into very pale pink shade, almost white. Another nice feature is its slow and compact growth making it a dwarf variety suitable for the smallest of gardens. The evergreen leaves are almost half the size as opposed to the species, they are leathery but not as thick as those on myrtifolia varieties, dark green, slightly curved, and glossy.

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).

Last update 28-02-2016

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GLOSSARY

STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.