Rhododendron luteum (A)

RHS Plant Profile
yellow azalea

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yellow azalea RHS 1987
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yellow azalea RHS

Other common names

sweet pontica azalea

Synonyms

Azalea ponticum
Azalea pontica

Shrubs
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This plant is listed as an invasive non-native species in Great Britain – see Cultivation section for details A bushy deciduous shrub, typically 2–3 m tall, with oblong leaves turning orange and red in autumn. Highly fragrant, bright yellow, funnel‑shaped flowers are produced in late spring and early summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
10–20 years
Max Spread
2.5-4 metres
Max Height
2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
West–facing or North–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Ericaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Potentially harmful
Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats, rabbits, tortoises) Harmful if eaten - for further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
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
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea

Azaleas can be deciduous or evergreen, with mostly small, frequently fragrant, funnel-shaped flowers in spring or early summer; deciduous azaleas often have good autumn colour
Plant Range
E Europe to Caucasus

How to Grow

Cultivation

This plant is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981) as an invasive non-native species. Although not banned from sale, it is an offence to plant or cause it to grow in the wild in Great Britain. See RHS advice on invasive non-native species for further information.

Propagation

See cultivation notes

Pests

See cultivation notes

Diseases

See cultivation notes