I thought I had a kalmia latifolia ostbo red. After further research I believe I now have "Olympic Fire" variety. However, I am still a little unsure. I posted last year regarding a virus that had attacked it. I followed many of the great suggestions. I repotted and was gifted with a grand display of flowers. A couple of the leaves still have the virus on it, but, luckily, it has cleared up 95%. Please have a look at the new picture. I have seen some posts referring to it as a spring flowering plant. However, for me, in North Vancouver climate, it's new leaves only just sprang up (a pretty light pink and red amongst the green) and based on last year, it probably won't bloom until early June. Last year was the first time it had ever bloomed... should I expect another miracle this year? Does it bloom one year and not the next? I look forward to your comments.
They generally begin blooming mid June here each year, grown in the ground. It likely helps to deadhead, remove the seed capsules, after blooming for next years bloom. Some photos here may help with the ID, just click the arrows on the left side of page. www.rosebay.org/chapterweb/djgtgt1.htm . The book "Kalmia" by Richard Jaynes describes the cultivars and much more , maybe available at your library. The link shows photos of mature plants at his nursery, foliage and flower closeups. Leaf shape and new foliage colours help to separate similar cultivars . There aren't many cultivars it seems, probably less than 30 marketed locally. See some interesting cultivars have been developed in Europe also.
Thanks for the link. What an amazing display of all sorts of varieties of kalmias. They are real beauties. As a result, I'd like to invest in a couple others. However, I had no idea they grow so large. Now I am wondering when I will have to take my little beauty out of its small pot? It was strongly suggested by a researcher down in Oregon that I should probably not plant it in the ground due to the virus it has (or had). However, with that said, I am not opposed to letting it grow bigger in a bigger pot... but at what point does one move it into a larger one? I am just not sure "how" their root system grows so perhaps you might be able to comment on this?
I haven't grown them in pots for more than a year, just holding them from summer till spring transplanting. They are slow growing, seem to have a shallow root system similar to an azalea, and appreciate a bark mulch . Expect they would need to be moved to a larger pot every 2-3 years in the early spring or fall , but just guessing. Would depend on whether fertilizer is used also. If growing in pots maybe a 1/3 peat, 1/3 sand, and 1/3 bark mixture would work fine. They like an acidic soil, in the wild 4.5-5.5 pH writes Jaynes and recommends lowering if soil is 5.6 pH or above . Only problems here have been from wet snow breaking some branches and lost one to soil dryness from competition, I believe. Agree, well worth growing more with the different variations available.
Growth is about 4" { 10 cm.} a year, with less on the miniature cultivars , without fertilizers, and they seem to bloom well. 'Olympic Fire', an 'Ostbo Red' seedling, is said to do well with pot culture. Would wonder about growing thought to be virus free kalmias around one known to have a virus, though, just a thought.
joZ, An 'Olympic Fire' and 'Carousel', believe they are labeled correctly, are not going to bloom this year. The 'Olympic Fire' may be too shaded, possibly too dry, or appears something may have ate the flower buds, although have read the plants can be poisonous to sheep. The 'Carousel' bloomed well last year and should have been getting enough sun and moisture to have set flower buds and no apparent browsing by deer or anything. Others close by look like they will bloom well, all deadheaded last year. They take a while to become established it seems, so maybe repotting could affect the bloom. No 'Ostbo Red' grown so hard to help with the id and the leaf shape seems quite variable on the 'Olympic Fire'. Have noticed the flower colour pattern on some banded flowers can change from one year to the next, apparently typical whether tissue culture produced or not. Interesting plants and hard to be certain with id on some.
Re: Kalmia virus Hi chimera: My kalmia "did" have a virus and it looks at though repotting has really helped. The virus probably resides within it still, but silently. However, with that said, I was told by a Researcher in Oregon to keep it out of the ground and away from other trees for fear that the virus might spread. So, that is what I have done... I do have it located close to my magnolias... but it is in a pot and I am praying the virus gremlins won't jump from tree to tree.
The one I lost could have had a virus, but haven't noticed any virused leaves on the other kalmias . Guess it's best to look at the retail plants closely before buying, just not sure which other indications might determine a virused plant, other than the leaves.
