TOUGH AND ELEGANT:
The Misunderstood Rhododendron

I think one of the most overlooked and misunderstood plants I see, in my travels around the North Bay, is the rhododendron. It is known for it's beauty, but has been unfairly labelled as being difficult to grow. As a child, I
received my appreciation of rhododendrons at my mother’s knee. She was the one who explained that she loved them not just because they were beautiful, but undemanding. If they were planted correctly to begin with and given shade in the afternoon, they would thrive with minimal water and fertilizer. And when we dug up her beautiful pink one and transplanted it, even though it was in bloom, I noted how tough it really was. Because of their shallow, fibrous root system,
they also make good subjects for container gardening.

Rhododendrons are wonderful for Bay Area landscapes because they are not only frost tolerant, but deer resistant as well. They are descended from forest and mountain dwellers and many are hardy to 0 degrees or even below! When they are not blooming, their beautiful dark green leathery leaves make them useful as a background shrub or even ground cover. Their requirements are well-drained, well-aerated soil which is cool and moist. If planted correctly, their moisture requirements can be met with drip irrigation. Remember, the enemy of rhododendrons is poorly drained soil. If they are planted in a mound of an organic mixture of green fir bark, and for some varieties, 35% crushed lava rock, and moisture is kept away from the base, they will be protected from rotting.

How do you keep your rhododendrons flowering beautifully year after year? If they are happy in their location and planted as I have described, they will not need much fertilizer. I fertilize once a year in early spring with an acid type, but they are really not heavy feeders and if they are looking healthy and flowering nicely, they don’t need a lot of fertilizer once they are established. When they flower, they put out a tremendous amount of seeds, which can be a double-edged sword. The way to have bloom again next year is to twist off the flower heads, taking care not to remove next year’s buds which are below the lowest flower. Pruning? Not necessary, except for removing dead twigs or a little shaping; many varieties, especially medium-sized and compact ones, are naturally shapely.

A mulch of oak leaves or bark chips is essential, renewed every couple of years, not only to keep the soil cool, but also to discourage cultivation around the roots, which like to spread out in the loose bark and mulch near the surface.

Rhododendrons come in all sizes and shapes; large shrubs or tree types to dwarf, low-spreading ground covers. There are several hundred varieties which have been hybridized from our native American plants, or Oriental and European species. Creamy yellow, pristine white, pearly pink, deep purple, electric blue or crimson red, whatever your color preference, a rhododendron can be found to gratify. There was an explosion of hybrids introduced in the 1830’s, as plant explorers brought species down from the high altitudes of the Himalayas back to England. Victorian gardens contained a wonderful profusion of new varieties.Two of my personal favorites were introduced before the turn of the century: ‘Blue Peter’ with beautiful lavender- blue flowers with a purple blotch, medium height, spreading wider than high and sun tolerant; ‘Mrs. Furnival’, a medium-sized clear pink rhododendron. Beautiful modern favorites are ‘Loder’s White’: pink buds opening to white frilled flowers on a compact and spreading plant; ‘Fireman Jeff’: large hot red flowers and lots of them; ‘Trude Webster’: spectacular in flower with its clear pink and dark spotted blossoms up to 5" across.

Rhododendrons are also versatile; they can be featured in several ways. You can have a single container plant as a “stand-out” when its blooming. Beds of rhododendrons with different bloom periods can be used to prolong the display of color in a wonderful way. Or they can be featured in the company of other plants. I love them with azaleas, ferns, and Japanese maples.