Rhododendron rubiginosum
A vigorous evergreen shrub or small tree with dark green leaves coloured brown on the underside. In April and May it produces funnel-shaped, lilac-pink flowers with reddish spots around the throat. Tolerant of exposed sites and neutral soil
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Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
1.5–2.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Neutral, AcidColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Pink | Green Brown | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green Brown | |||
| Autumn | Green Brown | |||
| Winter | Green Brown |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Bushy
- Potentially harmful
- Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
- Genus
Rhododendron can be evergreen or deciduous shrubs or trees, with simple leaves, sometimes with a dense colourful indumentum of hairs on the lower side, and funnel-shaped, bell-shaped or tubular flowers that may be solitary or in short racemes
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- China Myanmar
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in moist , humus-rich soil ideally in light dappled or part-day shade. Apply a mulch of chipped conifer bark annually in late winter. Keep plants well watered until established. See rhododendron cultivation for further information
Propagation
Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in late summer; layer in autumn
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Low Maintenance
- Banks and slopes
- Flower borders and beds
- Hedging and screens
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Pests
May be susceptible to vine weevil, rhododendron and azalea whiteflies, leaf hoppers, lacebugs, scale insects, caterpillars and aphids
Diseases
May be susceptible to powdery mildews, bud blast, honey fungus, rust, leafy gall, petal blight, silver leaf, Phytophthora root and shoot rots
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