- Partial Sun to Full Sun (At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)
- Mature Height 1 - 3 Feet
- Mature Spread 4 - 6 Feet
- Growing Zones 5 - 8
- Use As A Filler In Containers
Sheep Laurel is a fine-leaved evergreen perfect for adding to a naturalized garden area, pollinator garden, or semi-shaded woodland area. Kalmia augustifolia is a native of the open woodlands and boggy sites of Eastern North America. Unlike its close cousin Bog Laurel, Sheep Laurel survives in a wide range of wet or dry sites. The clusters of tiny, pink, disc-shaped flowers cover the spreading shrubs through June into early July, attracting many native beneficial insects and pollinators. The foliage is food for the caterpillars of Brown Elfin Butterflies.
Sheep Laurel will grow happily in USDA zones 5 through 8, making this a plant accessible to most gardeners in the United States. Although all parts of this plant are toxic to people and most livestock, deer will browse happily on the flower clusters and foliage. The pruning by deer rarely causes much harm to individual plants, and they quickly regrow. The low and wide-spreading growth habit makes Sheep Laurel a good choice for an evergreen ground cover in larger gardens or an edging plant in a woodland garden. Rock gardens and gently sloping hillsides are also great places to use this native workhorse in the landscape.
Sheep Laurel Care
Just about any soil texture is acceptable for growing Sheep Laurel. A neutral to acidic pH will support deep green foliage and good blooming for these evergreen shrubs. Water new shrubs deeply once or twice a week to help the roots to establish. Sheep Laurel is not a hungry plant and grows well with an annual mulching of 1-2 inches of compost.
Sheep Laurel is allelopathic to evergreen conifers, meaning that pines and other conifer plants will not grow alongside it because of a toxin that the roots put into the soil.
Deadheading will help to keep the spread of Sheep Laurel in check by limiting its seed production. Prune lightly for shape in late summer after flowering and at least 6 weeks before the first average frost date for your growing zone. Gardeners in the coldest growing areas may have better success pruning as the weather warms in early spring. Remove any winter-damaged branches to make the shrub less susceptible to pests and diseases.
Sheep Laurel Spacing
The spreading shape of Sheep Laurel stays 1-3 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide. Space plants 4-5 feet from each center when planting in a garden border.
Sheep Laurel Information
| USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 - 8 |
| Plant Type: |
| Light Exposure: Partial Sun to Full Sun (At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight) |
| Mature Height: 1 - 3 Feet |
| Mature Spread: 4 - 6 Feet |
| Spacing: 4 - 6 Feet |
| Habit: Clumping, Spreading, Upright |
| Flower Color(s): Green, Pink |
| Flower Description: Green and Pink Shades |
| Bloom Period: Summer |
| Foliage Type: Evergreen |
| Foliage Color(s): Green |
| Foliage Description: Dark Green Shades |
| Seasonal Interest: Summer Flowering |
| Watering: Average |
| Resists: N/A |
| Tolerates: N/A |
| Attracts: Bees |
| Container Role: Filler |
| Uses: Mass Planting |
| Features: Attracts Pollinators, Native to North America |
| Brand: |
| Common Name: Sheep Laurel |
| Other Name(s): Lambkill, Northern Sheepkill, Sheep Laurel, Wicky |
| Scientific Name: Kalmia angustifolia |
- SKU:
- 1231020348-pc
Container Sizes
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on; type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
4.5" Pot
Also Known As:
4.5" Container
Plant Age:
~ 6 months
Plant Size:
~ 3"-6"
Pot Size:
~ 4.5"H x 3.75"W
Volume:
1.42 quarts
Quart Pot
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
2.5 Quart
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
#1 Pot
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
#2 Pot
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
#3 Pot
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
For more detailed information, please click here.
Plant Addicts Guarantee (Included On All Plant Orders)
Plant Addicts always guarantees your plant(s) will arrive happy & healthy. However, plant(s) are being shipped through the mail & sometimes accidents happen. If the plant is dead, has dried out roots or the incorrect item was shipped, just notify Plant Addicts within 3 days upon delivery. We may ask for pictures but will try to make it as easy as possible for you. Please note, plant(s) with damaged branches or wilted leaves will not qualify for this guarantee. Plants are very resilient and will rebound quickly when cared for correctly.
For more information on how to care for your new plants, please click on our guide below.
Guide: How to Care for Your New Plant(s)
Plant Addicts Warranty - 1 Year (Extra Purchase Required)
We encourage all plant lovers to purchase the Plant Addicts Warranty, whether you're a new gardener or an expert. There are many variables outside of anyone's control that can cause a plant to die. Hungry animals, drought, poor soil conditions, over watering, diseases & pests are all good examples of what can cause plants to die. The Plant Addicts Warranty is a 1 year warranty protecting you from all of the unknowns and will replace your plant if something were to happen to it.
The warranty is purchased on a per plant basis and must be purchased at the same time as the plant(s). We will cover 100% of the price of the plant, but the warranty does not cover shipping costs. SImply let us know if your plant has died within 1 year of receiving it and we will get you a new one shipped out as soon as possible (depending on the time of the year and availability). We may ask for photos for documentation purposes, but we try to make the process as easy as possible.
For more information, please click on our page below.
Plant Shipping
Below are some factors we consider when determining when to ship the plants depending on the timing of the order.
Winter to Early Spring
We ship only when it's warm enough to plant in your growing zone.
Sometimes plants aren't completely ready to sell and ship in early spring. We will wait until the plants are ready before shipping so you don't get a subpar product.
For Southern plants we will be able to ship much earlier than plants coming from our northern nursery.
Summer
If there is extreme heat we may delay shipping for a week or several weeks.
We review what areas the plants are traveling through as well as your location.
Fall into Winter
We’ll ship plants out all the way up to the end of the fall planting season!
Winter
Get your order in early to reserve your plants for Spring planting!
Once your plant is shipped you’ll receive an automated email with tracking information.
Click here for more detailed shipping information.
Planter Shipping
Standard Colors: 2-3 business days
Special Order Colors: 8 weeks - this is due to the planter being custom made with the color(s) of your choice
Please Note: On special orders there can not be any cancellations