Rhododendron vaseyi (A)

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pink-shell azalea

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Synonyms

Azalea vaseyi

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Shrubs
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An upright, deciduous shrub to around 150cm in height, with alternate, lance-shaped pointed foliage which turns to shades of yellow to burgundy red and bright red in the autumn. Pink buds open to trusses of pale pink to white flowers which appear in April to May, before the foliage

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
2.5-4 metres
Max Height
4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–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)
H5

Colour & Scent

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
SE USA

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in light, dappled shade in a site sheltered from cold, drying winds and late frosts, in moist but well-drained, humus-rich, acidic soil, preferably between pH4.5 and pH5.5. See rhododendron cultivation for further information

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings, layering or grafting

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Banks and slopes

Pruning

pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to vine weevil, rhododendron whiteflies, rhododendron leafhopper, lacebugs, scale insects, caterpillars and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to Powdery mildews, rhododendron bud blast, petal blight, honey fungus, silver leaf, Phytophthora root and shoot rots. See Rhododendron diseases