Kalmia were introduced to Britain in 1734 from specimens sent by American botanist John Bartram to Peter Collinson in London, who distributed many north American plants amongst his plant-collecting fraternity. Describing the charm and flowers of these evergreen flowering shrubs plants as 'exquisite', Alan Pullen has 35 different types of Kalmia in the Collection at Secrett's Garden Centre in Milford Surrey where the National Collection of kalmia is held.