Mendel’s Gardens

Kalmia microphylla

Alpine Laurel · Bog Laurel · Western Bog Laurel

Family EricaceaeGenus Kalmia

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Perennial, Shrub, Subshrub
Height
1.0 ft
Flower
Purple
Blooms
Late Spring
Native range
Alaska, Canada, lower 48 states

Growing conditions

Sun
Shade tolerance: Low
Moisture
Moisture use: Medium

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Source: PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS.

Protocol

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Separate the seed from its case

    Crush the hard capsule so light can reach the seed.

  2. Sow on the surface — do not cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

Jaynes found it needs light. That is all this passage says about this species.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, KalmiaPublic domain
Show the original text
Kalmia (Ericaceae). Kalmia requires light as found by R. Jaynes for K. angustifolia, K. cuneata, K. hirsuta, K. latifolia, K. microphylla, and K. polifolia (ref. 41) and confirmed by myself for K. angustifolia and K. latifolia. The seed is contained in hard spherical capsules. These must be crushed to allow light to reach the seed. The seed is small and hard to separate from the hard capsules so that seed counts and percent germination are inaccurate.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Kalmia. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.