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poaky1

Non-foo-foo Kalmia Latifolia ( Mt. Laurel )

poaky1
12 years ago

Are there any places that have the original Eastern Mt Laurel? I have seen "elf" and the designer ones, but want a plain one. I have sown seed last fall in a shady place but folks on the Rhodie azalea forum haven't had much success sowing seed.So if my seeds don't sprout I may be ordering one, if there's a source which doesn't want a fortune for one at least big enough to see. 3-4 inches is big enough. I don't know what the seed leaves look like so I am afraid to weed the area, if they are like the adult leaves I can ID that. Thanks to anyone with any answers. I used fresh local seed I collected.

Comments (12)

  • sam_md
    12 years ago

    If you go to Millersville ask for the species rather than a cultivar. This is such a great place to buy plants. You buy direct from the grower. Plant sales are open to the general public but hours are very specific. Date is June 1-4.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Native Plant Conference, Lancaster Co.

  • Embothrium
    12 years ago

    Yes, it would seem native plant sources would be where to look.

  • poaky1
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I am in SW Pa 50-60 miles from Pittsburgh and Lancaster is a good ways from me, do these people do mail order? There is a supplier of natives that supplied a couple plants on the Longwood garden sites but they are choosy what they sell retail as apposed to wholesale. I am just a homeowner so I won't be doing the wholesale.There are tons of these up the mountains about 8 miles from me. Can I do tissue culture easily? If I peg one down to the soil how long would it take to root, and does the root come down from where a leaf is? Any info on appearance of baby leaves? I collected a good bit of seed maybe I'll get one plant at least. I will try the web too, but anyone who knows a source mail order or closer to Uniontown Pa

  • Iris GW
    12 years ago

    I posted a couple of pictures of baby leaves in the Woodland forum (you had posted there).

  • poaky1
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks esh, I checked the rhodie and propagation forums because I couldn't remember where I'd posted that question.I have small sprouts in one of my pots, I need to check your pics if they are the same, they are tiny so they may be Kalmia Lat.

  • poaky1
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I answered on the woodlands forum, but the short version is I may have what you have in the pics, but I only see 2 leaves on mine but they are just sprouting yet.And what do I do with the small pot of sprouts over next winter?

  • woodnative
    12 years ago

    Mountail laurel are very slow from seed (although it can be rewarding growing them that way). The fine seed turn into very small seed leaves, and the first couple leaves are tiny tiny tiny. BTW, they transplant really easily from the wild, so alhtough it is not a good idea to collect, if there is an area that they are abundant, you can probably find some small plants in bad areas where they are most likely won't survive longterm, or where they are overcroweded (look at the north side of road cuts), so taking one small seedling will not hurt. It is worth reading Dick Jaynes book on Mountain Laurels (which also tells how to grow them from seed), and how the selections were found and/or developed.

  • Iris GW
    12 years ago

    I put my pots into gallon size zip lock bags to ensure adequate moisture. I keep them in a protected place over the winter; an unheated garage works for me, not sure if that gets too cold in your area.

  • poaky1
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Those in the wild up the mountains endure colder than my yards temps so I will assume they will be fine. We get 20's and 30's as usual winter temps with rare single digits, I have a place to keep them by the basement steps if it gets too cold for a few days I can bring the pot in. I have thought about the idea about getting a plant from the wild but have heard that I can get fined because it's our state flower, I don't know how true that is.I have gotten trees that way with good results when they are dormant.So more than likely the seed leaves are the 2 tiny ones I see. How long until they getat least quarter sized? I'm prepared for slow growth but can you guess at inches per year? I also would like to know if you dug up some soil from where the natural colonies are, I've heard they need that, or is compost good enough? Homemade not commercial compost. I will have to eventually get the book about them, the authors name should be easy to remember, Dick and Jane will stick in my memory.

  • wkrick
    11 years ago

    Sorry about reviving an old thread but I have the same question.

    I'm in North Carolina just outside of Raleigh. I want to purchase a standard no-frills Mountain Laurel (Kalmia Latifolia). I remember them fondly from my childhood in southern NJ. They were mostly white with just a hint of pink. The picture below matches my memory. I can't seem to find any local nurseries that stock them. Is there anywhere that I can get one via mail order?

    {{gwi:259822}}

  • Iris GW
    11 years ago

    Try asking Carolina Native Nursery:
    http://www.carolinanativenursery.com/

    If they are too far from you they may be able to suggest another nursery closer to you.

  • jimmy2010
    11 years ago

    I think its dumb that all the nurseries only seem to carry the richard jaynes cultivars and not the wild type.

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