Kalmia latifolia 'STERNTALER' mountain laurel
size/type
medium-sized shrub,medium-sized shrub
usual height
0,8-1,3m
usual width
0,8-1,3m
leaves
evergreen broadleaf
colour of leaves
flowers
showy
colour of flowers
blooming time
May-June
location
full to partial sun
USDA zone (lowest)
4 (down to -34°C)
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Sterntaler is the original name of a German fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers (The Star Money). It is about a poor, orphaned girl who goes out into the countryside, and all she has is her clothing and a loaf of bread. She is a goodhearted person and during her journey she gives all of her possessions away to others in need. She ends up with a shift only and meets a little naked girl begging for it. So she does not hesitate to give away her shift, too. At that moment stars begin to fall down and turn into silver tolars at her feet. She collects them and returns to the village, never again having to worry about money. This poetic background was used for a name of this new mountain laurel bred by Dr.Karl-Heinz Hübbers in 2001.
Description of the plant:
Sterntaler mountain laurel is a successful result of a controlled breeding programme hybridizing two older varieties: Ginkona and Mitternacht. By the way a year later the same programme brought another nice variety Bandeau. The star-shaped flowers are the same large size as on Ginkona, decorated with a dark maroon red, or almost burgundy black band and white margins. The centre is white, too, only with some maroon dots. It is a reliable bloomer and the inflorescence may hold up to 60 flowers which open continuously from late May until June. It forms an upright shrub with evergreen, narrowly elliptic, leathery, acuminate, glossy leaves 6-8 cm long. For a happy life it MUST HAVE acidic soil (add plenty of peat). Do not dig a deep hole but a wide one. Plant it in light, well drained soil that has to be well mulched to keep the surface roots moist at all times. Full sun is best for profuse flowering. Fertilize in spring and early autumn with rhododendron fertilizers. Use water solutions or slow-release fertilizers that will not burn the delicate surface roots. Fully hardy to -34°C (USDA zone 4).
Last update 25-02-2016
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GLOSSARY
- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
