Kalmia latifolia ‘Snowdrift’
Overview
Uses: Foundation plantings, shaded borders, woodland gardens, white gardens, native landscapes.
Benefits: Pure white buds open to pure white flowers, one of the whitest mountain laurels available. Dense, rounded growth with thick, glossy dark green leaves.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–8
Sun: Partial Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
Growth Habit: Rounded — dense and globe-shaped, with thick, glossy leaves.
Bloom Color: White
Foliage Color: Dark Green
Mature Height: 5–6 feet
Mature Width: 5–6 feet
Bloom Season: Late Spring to Early Summer
Growth Rate: Slow
Summary
‘Snowdrift’ brings clean white flowers to mountain laurel, white in bud and white in full bloom.
In late spring, the buds open to cup-shaped white flowers in large rounded clusters at the branch tips. With no pink in the buds, the plant reads as pure white from a distance, a cool, bright note in a shaded bed.
The leaves are thick, leathery and glossy dark green, a trait rarely found in white-flowered mountain laurels. The plant grows slowly into a dense, rounded shrub about 5–6 feet tall and wide.
It suits a foundation bed, a white garden or a woodland edge, and pairs well with pink and red mountain laurels.
Care
Mountain Laurel ‘Snowdrift’ 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 ‘Snowdrift’ for Sale Online?
Our Mountain Laurel ‘Snowdrift’ 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 ‘Snowdrift’ Grow?
‘Snowdrift’ matures at about 5–6 feet tall and 5–6 feet wide, forming a dense, rounded evergreen. It grows slowly and holds its shape with little pruning.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
Kalmia latifolia goes by several common names:
- Mountain Laurel
- Calico Bush
- Spoonwood
Is ‘Snowdrift’ a pure white mountain laurel?
Yes. Many white mountain laurels open from pink buds or carry pink markings, but ‘Snowdrift’ is white in bud and white in full bloom. Its thick, dark green leaves also set it apart from most white-flowered forms.
Is Mountain Laurel ‘Snowdrift’ a native plant?
‘Snowdrift’ 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 ‘Snowdrift’ 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.
Why are the leaves on my mountain laurel turning yellow?
Yellow leaves with green veins usually mean the soil is not acidic enough, so the plant can’t take up iron. Heavy, wet soil causes yellowing too. Test the soil, work in pine bark or a soil acidifier if the pH is high, and make sure water drains away from the roots. A few older leaves yellowing and dropping in summer is normal for an evergreen. For more year-round green, browse our Evergreen Plants collection.
