Kalmia angustifolia L. (N-Am.) – A very rare escape from cultivation. First recorded in 1903 in peaty heathland in Lanklaar but possibly deliberately introduced. The presence of Ledum palustre in the 2nd half of the 19th century in Lanklaar, another non-native Ericaceae, was differently interpreted by former botanists (considered as merely planted or as escaped). Furthermore known since at least 1942 from Nijlen-Kessel (Hoogbos, Kesselse Heide). Very persistent and possibly more or less naturalised in a small population of few m². The largest populations of Kalmia angustifolia doubtlessly are in a heath in a former military base in Brasschaat. There, ca. 7 clones, some of which occupy more than 25 m², are present since at least 35 years (but probably much longer). The species was probably initially introduced with (garden) waste and is now fully naturalised.
Kalmia angustifolia grows well in acidic, at least temporarily damp heathlands.
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Selected literature:
Adolphi K. (1995) Neophytische Kultur- und Anbaupflanzen als Kulturflüchtlinge des Rheinlandes. Nardus 2: 272 p.
Mallick A.U. (1993) Ecology of a forest weed of Newfoundland: vegetative regeneration strategy of Kalmia angustifolia. Canad. J. Bot. 71: 161-166.
Pieper W. (1951) Kalmia angustifolia L. in Nordwestdeutschland. Beitr. Naturk. Nieders. 4: 58-62.
Verloove F. (2002) Ingeburgerde plantensoorten in Vlaanderen. Mededeling van het Instituut voor Natuurbehoud n° 20: 227 p.