About
Jessica de Rothschild' is a compact shrub about 1.3m high with evergreen leaves and many funnel-shaped, pale greenish yellow flowers, flushed with pink at the edges, and with deeper yellow throats, from late spring to early summer; rhododendron flowers are visited by bumblebees.
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
Growing conditions
SunlightPartial shade
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectNorth-facing, West-facing, South-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeShrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageEvergreen
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden
ToxicityHarmful 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
Care notes
CultivationGrow in light dappled shade, in a site sheltered from cold, dry winds and late frosts, in moist but well-drained, humus-rich, acidic soil, preferably between pH4.5 and pH5.5; for more advice, see rhododendron cultivation
PruningPruning group 1 (little or no pruning of trees and shrubs) or pruning group 8 (early-flowering evergreen shrubs)
PropagationPropagate by heeled semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, by layering in autumn, or by grafting in late winter or late summer
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to vine weevil, rhododendron whiteflies, rhododendron leafhopper, rhododendron lacebugs, scale insects, caterpillars, and aphids
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to rhododendron powdery mildews, rhododendron bud blast, rhododendron petal blight, honey fungus, fungal leaf spots, rust diseases, silver leaf, Phytophthora root rots, and, if soil is not sufficiently acidic, lime-induced chlorosis; for more advice, see Rhododendron diseases