Kalmia latifolia ‘Good Show’
Overview
Uses: Shade screening, specimen plantings, woodland gardens, group plantings, native landscapes.
Benefits: Deep pink buds open to rich pink flowers in large clusters, with a star of darker color at the center of each cup. Dense, vigorous evergreen growth fills out to 6–8 feet for an informal screen in partial shade.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–8
Sun: Partial Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
Growth Habit: Rounded, Mounding — dense and vigorous, with a balanced, full shape.
Bloom Color: Deep Pink, opening to Pink
Foliage Color: Green
Mature Height: 6–8 feet
Mature Width: 6–8 feet
Bloom Season: Late Spring to Early Summer
Growth Rate: Slow
Summary
Clusters of rich pink flowers on a dense, vigorous evergreen make ‘Good Show’ a dependable pink mountain laurel for shade.
The show starts with deep pink, starburst-shaped buds packed at the branch tips in late spring. They open to cup-shaped, rich pink flowers with a darker pink star at the center, and the clusters hold their color for several weeks.
This is a full, vigorous plant. Its rich green, oval leaves cover the branches densely, so it looks solid from every side and stays green through winter.
At about 6–8 feet tall and wide, ‘Good Show’ works as a specimen in a woodland garden or planted in a group along a shaded property line, where it fills in to form an informal evergreen screen.
Care
Mountain Laurel ‘Good Show’ Care
Plant 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.
Mountain 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.
Water 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.
Feed lightly in early spring with a slow release fertilizer made for acid-loving plants. Skip lime and wood ash near the roots.
Pruning 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.
Size
What Size is the Mountain Laurel ‘Good Show’ for Sale Online?
Our Mountain Laurel ‘Good Show’ 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 contact us.
How Large Does Mountain Laurel ‘Good Show’ Grow?
‘Good Show’ matures at about 6–8 feet tall and 6–8 feet wide, forming a dense, rounded evergreen. In ideal conditions and over many years it can grow larger. It grows slowly, so give it room at planting and let it fill the space.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
Kalmia latifolia goes by several common names:
- Mountain Laurel
- Calico Bush
- Spoonwood
What color are ‘Good Show’ flowers?
The buds are deep pink and open to rich pink, cup-shaped flowers with a darker pink star at the center. It reads as a clear, solid pink from a distance, without the bands or speckles of some other cultivars.
Is Mountain Laurel ‘Good Show’ a native plant?
‘Good Show’ is a cultivar of Kalmia latifolia, 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 Native Plants of North America collection.
Is Mountain Laurel ‘Good Show’ deer resistant?
Mountain 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 Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens collection.
Can ‘Good Show’ be used as a screen in the shade?
Yes, as an informal one. Its dense evergreen leaves block views year-round, and it handles the partial shade where many screening shrubs thin out. Space plants about 6 feet apart and expect a slow fill-in over several years. For more year-round structure, browse our Evergreen Plants collection.
