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.

The Lowes in Dallas (8a) has carried them in season before. We got a ~4 ft one on clearance a few (3?) years ago. Regular price was probably in the range of $80 to $100 at that time. Though don't see them sold regularly this far north.

-This is in Brooklyn. It's been a great spring/summer, with lots of rain and moderate heat -- though more recently, since these shots were taken. -No lawn fert spray, here in the city. Only transplants this spring were some impatiens and heuchera. The kalmia just went in last spring, along with some pieris, azalea, J ferns, carex. -The variegated J. maple is in the shadow of a big London plane. Excessive sunlight has never been an issue. -If it's root rot on the kalmia, a) how do you confirm?, b) what do you do? In it's first year it bloomed really well in early June ... and then this die-back started in late June/early July. -If clematis has mite infestation, if it's not too late should I use Neem oil or something else?

@Ang NC_7B, I'm actually in Wilkesboro, so about an hour West of Greensboro. But nobody on here knew where Wilkesboro was, so, I just say "near Greensboro". I don't think there ARE any nearby cities in 7a that people would know! Greensboro, Winston, and Hickory are all 7b, and Boone (an hour North) is 6b. I guess that Wilkesboro is the biggest in 7a NC :-O The only real difference between 7a and 7b, though, is that 7a gets slightly colder in the Winter. I'm going to have to make a trip to see the Arboretum, it sounds inspiring! @bengz6westmd, I bought a Mountain Laurel at the local nursery 2 years ago, but it didn't survive the Winter. In retrospect, nothing I've ever bought from that nursery has survived! So nowadays, I mostly buy from Lowes so that it has a guarantee. I hate choosing big box over a small business, but I hate wasting my time and money slightly more :-/ Lowes has neither Mountain Laurel nor Tensaw Magnolia right now, though :-(