About
A small, long-tailed gentian-relative from the eastern Himalaya with ovate, dark green leaves and small, tubular, five-lobed, deep blue flowers with a leafy calyx (phyllocalyx) in summer. A charming and delicate annual or short-lived perennial for a cool, moist, well-drained rock garden.
About the 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
Plant details
Suggested usesWoodland gardens, borders, specimen
Care notes
CultivationMoist, well-drained acidic soil in dappled shade. Mulch with leaf mould
PruningDeadhead spent trusses. Remove dead wood only
PropagationLayer branches or semi-ripe cuttings in late summer
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free. Vine weevil may target containers
Disease resistancePhytophthora in wet soils. Ensure good drainage