About

A compact, mat-forming, semi-evergreen shrub from the coastal pine barrens of eastern North America with small, ovate, dark green leaves and small, white, urn-shaped flowers in spring followed by edible, huckleberry-like, dark blue-black berries in summer. A distinctive and rarely grown North American native for moist, acidic, peaty, sunny conditions.

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, specialist collections

Care notes

CultivationAcidic, moist, humus-rich soil in sheltered dappled shade
PruningAllow natural form. Deadhead if practical
PropagationSeed for species integrity. Cuttings also possible
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceRoot rot in poor drainage. Protect tender species from frost