Sometimes mine take a year off.

Thanks esh_ga and mainegrower. That's good to know! I'm not sure I even noticed seed pods... Will have to check out my single blossom after it's done flowering. Do people with big mountain laurels really remove seed pods?

lalala, I'm about an hour north of you in NH and my kalmia also have barely any buds. This is the first year where I am not going to see much flowering (they've been in for about 8 years). Maybe it was the winter we had? What would we do without these mysteries in the garden to keep us thinking?

I have never removed the seed pods and the shrubs have bloomed nicely each year. I'm wondering though based on what mainegrower says if that may be partly why mine is lacking this year? It has bloomed more profusely each year and maybe last year I should have removed the seed pods? ARGH! Another garden task to put on the list! LOL!!

I wonder how many times we look through our gardens at something and say to ourselves "well, better luck next year". That's what I've been saying when I pass by my kalmia shrubs!

my MLs are just barely budding now. But I never knew you had to remove last year's seed heads. Interesting. So far, I've been pretty unimpressed w/my laurels. I have 3 and love them in everyone else's yard but mine.

I never deadheaded kalmias and this not diminished their blooming abilities ever, at least in my experience.
Pierises is a completely different story, no deadheading results in a minimal bloom next year.

To paraphrase Richard Jaynes in his definitive book on kalmias: Mountain laurels form thier flower buds in late summer on the current season's growth. If the seed capsules are not removed, there will be no new shoot growth from that point. No new shoots = no flower buds. There's also some evidence that the ripening seed capsules produce a hormone which translocates throughout the plant and inhibits flower bud formation. Without deadheading, Jaynes says mountain laurels - especially the modern varieties (most of which he developed)- tend to be every other year bloomers.

Large mountain laurels have enough growth points to bloom every year without deadheading, but the new flower buds will not be found where old dried seed capsules remain from the previous year.

This is very interesting information about both Kalmia and Pieris.

You know what, when you said, 'Without deadheading, Jaynes says mountain laurels - especially the modern varieties (most of which he developed)- tend to be every other year bloomers.' it remainded me that both of my MODERN varieties, 'Firecracker' and 'Keepsake' (both bought directly from Dr.Janes) came with explicit warning about deadheading.
Which I do.
Well, for as long as it is practical :-)

Hi everyone,
I started this thread last year. This spring the mountain laurel was absolutely gorgeous. So I want to try to deadhead it and encourage better blooms next year. I went out to try to do it today, but I was nervous about cutting too much off (I know with rhododendrons you have to be careful not to cut off next year's bud). Can someone walk me through which parts you're supposed to cut off?

Here's a drawing I found of a flower cluster. When the flowers fade, they make little berry type things, and the central stalk that they are emerging from still looks green. Should I pinch off the whole stalk, or just the faded blossoms themselves?

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:254460}}

I'm in Texas. These comments were several years back. I hope everyone's Mountian Laurel is doing great.

I planted mine from seed. It's around 8 years old and 2 1/2 feet tall finally. It never has bloomed. I also have 6 others around 1 foot tall.

Is there a certian size they need to be before they bloom?

These are the purple kind.

jkgibson, the purple flowering plant that is called Texas mountain laurel is also called Mescal bean and is a member of the bean family. Its scientific name is Sophora secundiflora. The plant being discussed above is more closely related to rhododendrons (in the same family as rhodies) than your mountain laurel. Its scientific name is Kalmia latifolia. So you might want to start a new thread about your plant and include the scientific name to reduce confusion.

Thank you NHBabs.

I planted Texas Mountain Laurel from seed. Texas mountain laurel is also called Mescal
bean and is a member of the bean family. Its scientific name is Sophora
secundiflora.

It's around 8 years old and 2 1/2 feet tall finally. It never has bloomed. I also have 6 others around 1 foot tall.

Is there a certian size they need to be before they bloom?

jkgibson,

You probably should consider starting a new thread about your Texas Mt. Laurel (Sophora), since this thread is about a completely different genus (Kalmia). I think you'll get more response. It starts to get confusing when too many people piggyback on old threads.

Just a suggestion. :-)

In TN mountain laurel grow wild but we have very few blossoms on our bushes this year or any I see in the wild. Can you tell me why?