Kalmia Keepsake

No shrub equals Mountain Laurel for fascinating bud and bloom shape, and Keepsake is one of the most distinctively lovely varieties we have ever grown! Add this heat-tolerant, compact, free-flowering shrub to your partly shaded border or woodland garden this season.

New foliage unfurls with a flurry of bright red to bronze before cooling down to a blue-green that is simply breathtaking, and remains right through winter. Before spring is over, the stunning foliage is joined by balloon-like buds with 10 "points" or edges each -- very distinctive and beautiful. When the purple buds open, they reveal a bright white picotee edging every violet-burgundy bloom!

Keepsake blooms in clusters 3 to 4 inches wide, with a good handful of flowers in each. The blooms last for several weeks, absolutely transforming the garden. And when they do pass, the dense and bushy habit of this shrub remains tight and attractive year-round.

Just 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, Keepsake is far more restrained than its wild native cousins. It comes by its neat habit and beautiful blooms from Dick Jaynes, a noted Kalmia breeder who spent decades perfecting Keepsake (and many other varieties). We know you'll love the results! Zones 4-8.