About

A small, compact, spreading evergreen azalea to 75cm in height, with neat, dark leaves and broadly funnel-shaped bright, deep rose-pink flowers, up to 8cm in width, in mid-spring.

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

SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectWest-facing, East-facing, South-facing, North-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6

Plant details

Plant typeShrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCottage 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 moist but well-drained, leafy, humus-rich acid soil, best in part shade with shelter but suitable for full sun if soil remains reliably moist; see rhododendron cultivation
PruningPruning group 8
PropagationPropagate by semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, layering in autumn or grafting in late summer or late winter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to vine weevil, rhododendron leafhopper, pieris lacebug, scale insects, caterpillars and aphids
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to various Rhododendron diseases including powdery mildews, rhododendron petal blight, rhododendron bud blast, silver leaf and honey fungus