{"product_id":"mountain-laurel-bridesmaid","title":"Mountain Laurel 'Bridesmaid'","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"pd-title-head\"\u003e\n  \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eKalmia latifolia\u003c\/em\u003e ‘Bridesmaid’\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOverview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Woodland edges, shaded borders, informal screens, specimen plantings, native landscapes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenefits:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dark pink buds open to bicolor flowers with a deep pink rim and a nearly white center. A full-size laurel at 8–10 feet with dark green, leaf spot resistant foliage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5–8\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Partial Sun to Partial Shade\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLife Cycle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Habit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Upright, Spreading — broad and full, with dark green leaves to the ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep Pink, opening to Pink with a White Center\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dark Green\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Height:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8–10 feet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Width:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8–10 feet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Late Spring to Early Summer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moderate\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSummary\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo-tone flowers and full-size presence make ‘Bridesmaid’ a standout mountain laurel for the back of a shaded border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDark pink buds open in late spring to cup-shaped flowers with a deep pink rim and a pale, nearly white throat. As each flower ages, its petal edges curl back slightly, giving the clusters a delicate, layered look.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe leaves are dark green and resist the leaf spot that can mar other mountain laurels, so the plant looks clean through winter. Over time it grows into a broad, upright shrub about 8–10 feet tall and wide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt flowers most heavily with a few hours of sun, while part shade keeps a good balance of bloom and leafy growth. Like all mountain laurels, it is slow to settle in and long-lived once established.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCare\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMountain Laurel ‘Bridesmaid’ Care\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in partial sun to partial shade. Morning sun with afternoon shade, or the high, dappled light at a woodland edge, gives the best balance of flowering and leaf color. More sun is fine in the North with steady moisture; deep shade cuts bloom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMountain laurel needs acidic, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. It struggles in heavy clay, standing water and alkaline soil, where the leaves turn yellow. Work in compost or pine bark at planting and set the root ball slightly high in heavier ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater deeply through the first growing season, then during dry spells. The roots are shallow, so a 2–3 inch layer of bark mulch or pine needles keeps them cool and moist; keep mulch a few inches off the stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFeed lightly in early spring with a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/slow-release-fertilizer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eslow release fertilizer\u003c\/a\u003e made for acid-loving plants. Skip lime and wood ash near the roots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePruning is rarely needed. If you want to shape the plant, do it right after flowering, because next year’s buds form over the summer. Snapping off spent flower clusters lets the plant put its energy into new growth and next year’s buds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSize\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat Size is the Mountain Laurel ‘Bridesmaid’ for Sale Online?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Mountain Laurel ‘Bridesmaid’ ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. In spring it may arrive with buds set. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/pages\/contact\" title=\"Contact Almanac Planting Co\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003econtact us\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow Large Does Mountain Laurel ‘Bridesmaid’ Grow?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Bridesmaid’ matures at about 8–10 feet tall and 8–10 feet wide, forming a broad, upright evergreen. Give it room at the back of a border or along a woodland edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAdditional Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are some common names for this plant?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eKalmia latifolia\u003c\/em\u003e goes by several common names:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMountain Laurel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCalico Bush\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpoonwood\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat makes the flowers of ‘Bridesmaid’ different?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach flower is two-toned: a deep pink rim around a pale, nearly white center. The pink buds and two-tone open flowers show together in each cluster, so the plant reads as a mix of pink shades in bloom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs Mountain Laurel ‘Bridesmaid’ a native plant?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Bridesmaid’ is a cultivar of \u003cem\u003eKalmia latifolia\u003c\/em\u003e, which is native to eastern North America from Maine to the Gulf Coast. That makes it a nativar: a selected form of a native species. Browse more in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/native-plants\"\u003eNative Plants of North America\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs Mountain Laurel ‘Bridesmaid’ deer resistant?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMountain laurel is generally considered deer resistant, and deer tend to pass over its thick, leathery leaves. Browsing pressure varies by region, and hungry deer in a hard winter may sample almost anything. For more options, see our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/deer-resistant-shrubs-evergreens\"\u003eDeer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan Mountain Laurel ‘Bridesmaid’ be used as a screen?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. At about 8–10 feet tall and wide with leaves held all winter, it makes a loose, flowering evergreen screen in partial shade. Space plants about 6–8 feet apart so they knit together as they mature. For more screening plants, browse our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/evergreen-plants\"\u003eEvergreen Plants\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Almanac Planting Co","offers":[{"title":"3 Gal \/ 15″–18″ \/ Ship ASAP","offer_id":50776768184482,"sku":"APC-MLBM-3-1yr","price":89.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0586\/9374\/6850\/files\/Mountain-Laurel-Bridesmaid-1610.jpg?v=1793526412","url":"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/mountain-laurel-bridesmaid","provider":"Almanac Planting Co","version":"1.0","type":"link"}