Plant name: Mountain laurel

Botanical name: Kalmia latifolia

Virtues: An evergreen shrub with an exceptional bloom lasting several weeks in late spring.

Foliage: Broad-leaf evergreen.

Flowers: Clusters of cup-shaped flowers that range from white to rose. Interiors are marked with purple dots.

Habit: Rounded shrub from 5 to 15 feet tall and wide.

Origin: wet or dry woods and pastures of eastern United States

Cultivation: Best grown in part shade, though it will tolerate more sun. Will become leggy and not bloom well in full shade. Requires good drainage, moderate water and cool, acidic soil for best growth. USDA Zones 4 to 9.

Read more Plants We Love

Image courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder