Types Of Rhododendrons

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

The magical world of rhododendrons. Part 1

The history of growing rhododendrons goes back more than 300 years, but during this rather short period they have become very popular ornamental plants both in open and protected ground.

Today, all over the planet, there are a large number of companies that specialize in the cultivation of rhododendrons. To date, a large number of varieties of this wonderful plant have already been created.

As ornamental plants, rhododendrons have been known since the middle of the 17th century; the history of their cultivation is closely related to the introduction (introduction into culture) of wild species. In the middle of the 17th century, an alpine species was introduced into the culture - the hard-haired rhododendron.

But England became the real center of introduction, where the first seeds and plants collected in their homeland were brought. Thanks to the maritime climate, with mild winters and high rainfall, they felt at home.

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From England, rhododendrons have spread widely to other countries of Western Europe - Belgium, Holland, Germany and others.

A significant contribution to the discovery of new species of rhododendrons was made by amateur botanists, among whom were doctors, diplomats, travelers who worked in various countries, but the main work was nevertheless carried out by specialists who organized expeditions to study the richest vegetation of the regions of natural distribution of rhododendrons, and especially Asia …

In the early 18th century, North American rhododendron species were introduced. And at the end of the century, yellow rhododendrons were introduced into the culture from the Caucasus. By the beginning of the 19th century, more than a dozen wild-growing species of rhododendrons had already been introduced, and by the middle of the 19th century, more than fifty.

Very interesting species were introduced from the Himalayas, Northeast Asia and Japan.

In general, as a result of the intensive work of botanists, over 200 species of rhododendrons have been discovered over almost three centuries. Here is a short description of the most common and significant ones:

Daurian rhododendron - naturally distributed in Eastern Siberia, Primorsky Krai, Northeastern China, Korea, Northern Mongolia, but is also perfect for growing in the Middle Lane, in the Northwest region, in the North of Russia and in the Urals. It is a strongly branched, medium-sized, evergreen shrub, reaching four meters in height with branches directed upwards.

The bark on the stems is light or dark gray, young shoots are thin, rusty-brown, usually shortly pubescent at the ends. The leaves are small, reaching 2-3 centimeters, oval or oval-oblong in shape with bent edges, leathery, smooth on top, and scaly below; immediately after blooming, they are light green, then darken, and by autumn they become brown or reddish-green.

Rhododendron flowers are also harmoniously combined with leaves, funnel-shaped, large, reaching 4 centimeters and differing in pink-violet color, usually 2-3 pieces accrete at the ends of the shoots. Their flowering is long, sometimes stretching up to 20 days. Repeated flowering can often be observed in the fall.

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One of the main advantages of this species is its high winter hardiness. Daurian rhododendron is very light-loving, it feels good in combination with larch trees, as well as on forest edges and small glades. Due to the early abundant flowering, the varied shape of the bush and the bright color of the leaves, the species is decorative throughout the season and is recommended for landscaping.

Rhododendron is tree-like. Its homeland is North America, where it grows in mountain river valleys and at an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level, as well as in woodlands. It grows well in the middle zone, in the North-West region, in Primorye and in the south of Western Siberia.

Rhododendron arborescent is a deciduous shrub reaching three meters in height, with a wide crown, up to six meters in diameter, and dark gray bark. Leaves are oblong, reaching a length of eight centimeters, shiny above, bright green, and below bluish-green, naked, crimson in autumn.

Flowering begins in July and lasts for a month, at this time you can see white or pinkish flowers, reaching five centimeters in diameter and located in bunches of 3-6 pieces at the ends of the shoots. This type of rhododendron is valuable for its decorative qualities and late flowering. It is used for group plantings on the lawn, in rows along the roads and singly against the background of trees in the park.

Rhododendron is yellow. Belorussia, Ukraine, southern Russia, Poland, the Caucasus, Asia Minor are considered its homeland, where it grows in undergrowth, on forest edges, clearings, swamps, as well as in the mountains at an altitude of up to 2000 meters above sea level. In addition to its homeland, yellow rhododendron is suitable for cultivation in the Middle Lane, in the North-West, in Primorye, in the Urals and in Western Siberia.

It is a deciduous shrub, reaching four meters in height, branched and strongly growing with oblong or oblong-elliptical leaves, reaching a length of 10 centimeters and ciliate along the edge. Young leaves are soft-pubescent, in autumn they are painted in yellow, orange and red tones.

Flowers are collected in shields of 7-12 pieces, very fragrant with a yellow or orange-yellow corolla. Blooms immediately after the leaves open. It grows quite quickly and is highly winter-hardy, requires moist and humus-rich soils and does not tolerate dry air. Plants are very decorative, especially at the time of flowering, as well as in autumn, when their leaves are painted in bright colors. This rhododendron is recommended for growing in both single and group plantings.

Kamchatka rhododendron. His homeland is the Arctic, the Far East, Japan and the northwestern part of North America, as well as the Aleutian Islands.

Under natural conditions, it grows in thickets of dwarf cedar, on loaches and in the tundra on cold, damp, shaded or open slopes. The plant is a deciduous dwarf shrub, reaching half a meter in height and consisting of dense, open, brown-red branches with upright reddish or greenish, bristly hairy branches with large, back-oval and somewhat elongated leaves located on them. The leaf blade is dark on top, and light green and bristly hairy below.

The flowers of the Kamchatka rhododendron are large, reaching four centimeters in diameter, single or collected in 2-5 pieces in loose racemes, usually pink-purple-red. The species is quite frost-hardy and reaches its best development in stony areas with loose, fresh and humus soil, preferably in places protected from the sun. Very good for park construction in the northern regions of Russia, for curbs, group plantings, as well as in the undergrowth of sparse plantings.

Rhododendron canadian. It comes from the East of North America and grows in river valleys, swamps and swampy forests. It is a low-growing, deciduous shrub, reaching one meter in height with smooth branches and oblong narrow-lanceolate or oval leaves, reaching six centimeters in length, slightly hairy above, and densely hairy below.

The flowers of the Canadian rhododendron are large, pink-purple, arranged in 5 pieces on short branches. This species is winter-hardy and develops well in the conditions of St. Petersburg. Recommended for use in gardens and parks of the North-Western forest zone of the European part of Russia. Looks very decorative on the edges, as well as in group plantings on rocky areas.

Rhododendron is short-fruited. It grows naturally in the Far East, Japan, Korea and the Kuril Islands. It can be found in the mountains, it forms thickets above the border of the forest and sometimes enters the undergrowth. It is an evergreen shrub, reaching three meters in height and characterized by large, leathery and oblong-elliptical leaves with curled edges, glabrous and shiny above, and grayish-tomentose below. It blooms with large white or pinkish flowers. He is good in both group and single landings.

The rhododendron is the largest. Its homeland is North America, where it grows on the coast and in the mountains up to 1200 meters above sea level, often in continuous thickets and in the undergrowth of damp mountain and mixed forests, as well as on acidic soils, preferring the slopes of northern exposures. It is a shrub, or a small tree, up to four meters high with a wide spreading crown and dark gray bark, well set off the dark green color of the leaves and the pink color of flowers, collected in dense inflorescences of 17-25 pieces. They open after the development of new shoots and leaves, usually in June-July. This species is mainly used in group plantings in gardens against the background of coniferous and deciduous trees.

Large-leaved rhododendron. It originates from North America, is an evergreen shrub that reaches three meters in height with a spreading crown up to 3.5 meters in diameter and brown bark. The leaves are oblong, dark green above and pale below.

The flowers are pink with reddish brown spots, white, open in June. This species is extremely decorative during mass flowering. The plant itself is a fast-growing bush, very light-loving. Used for planting on lawns in small groups.

Katevba rhododendron is distinguished by spectacular bright, pink-purple, funnel-shaped flowers that appear in late spring and are located in large clusters. This species is used as borders, in group plantings, as an element of a wooded landscape and is suitable for partial shade.

Rhododendron Ledebour in natural conditions is widespread in Altai and in the Sayan Mountains, as well as in the North-Eastern part of Mongolia, where it grows in the undergrowth of coniferous forests, on mountain slopes and in the subalpine belt. It is a semi-evergreen thin-branched densely leafy shrub, reaching a height of one and a half meters with branches directed upwards. The bark of stems and branches is dark gray. The leaves are soft, leathery, dark olive green above, paler below. They overwinter, coagulating into tubes, and open only during strong thaws. The shrub blooms in May for ten days, and again in the fall with very beautiful flowers with a pink-purple corolla. Used in composite plantings.

Rhododendron Makino. His homeland is Japan, where he grows in the mountains. It is an evergreen shrub reaching a height of two meters. The crown is rounded, very dense with gray bark and narrow-lanceolate leaves and pale pink bell-shaped flowers, reaching 5 centimeters in diameter. This species blooms in late May-June. It is very decorative during mass flowering. Recommended for planting in rock gardens.

Small-leaved rhododendron originates from Siberia, the Far East, Mongolia, Korea, China and North America, where it grows in wetlands, in the alpine and subalpine belt of mountains and in swamps. It is an evergreen branched erect shrub, reaching a height of one meter with a broadly oval crown and brown or dark gray bark and oblong-lanceolate dark green leaves. The flowers are lilac, wide-funnel-shaped, bloom in May-July. In gardens, they are planted in groups in rock gardens.

Rhododendron is dense. His homeland is China. There it grows in the mountains at an altitude of 5,000 meters above sea level and on open wet slopes.

It is an evergreen low shrub reaching a height of half a meter, with a cushion crown diameter not exceeding 50 centimeters. Leaves are broadly elliptical. Flowering lasts from May to mid-June, immediately after the leaves bloom, you can see violet-blue flowers up to 2.5 centimeters in diameter. It is recommended to use this rhododendron in single or group plantings on lawns, curbs and on alpine slides.

Rhododendron pink originates from the humid mountain forests of North America and Canada. It is a deciduous shrub reaching a height of one and a half meters with a compact crown and dark gray bark. The leaves are bluish-green, pubescent on both sides. The flowers are bright pink, fragrant, up to four centimeters in diameter and open simultaneously with the leaves, pleasing the eye throughout May. The bush is of medium height and is recommended for group plantings on the lawn or in single plantings in rocky areas.

Rhododendron Smirnov is named after the Russian physician and nature lover M. Smirnov. Under natural conditions, it grows in the Caucasus, in the forests of both the lower and middle belt of mountains, at altitudes not exceeding 2500 meters above sea level. It is an evergreen shrub or small tree, reaching six meters in height, with white-pubescent young shoots and oblong-elliptical green leaves.

Reddish-pink funnel-shaped flowers, reaching six centimeters in diameter and collected in compact multi-flowered heads, are located at the ends of the shoots. This rhododendron is suitable for both single and group plantings.

Schlippenbach's rhododendron is named after the naval officer and traveler A. V. Schlippenbach. It grows in the forests of southwestern Primorye, in northeastern China, Korea and Japan in small thickets on dry rocky mountain slopes and in light forests. This species is rather poorly studied and is a beautifully flowering large deciduous shrub with a spreading crown, developing in the form of a tree, and reaching a height of four meters. The bark of old branches is light gray.

The leaves are soft, falling, collected in 5 pieces at the ends of the shoots, they are dark green above. The flowers are large (7-10 centimeters in diameter) with a delicate aroma and a pale pink corolla, collected in 3-6 pieces in umbrella-shaped inflorescences. They bloom at the same time as the leaves open.

This is one of the most promising species for ornamental gardening, very good in single plantings and for small groups on lawns.

Japanese rhododendron. The very name of the species suggests that it is native to Japan, where it grows in the mountains and on open slopes. It is one of the most decorative rhododendrons found on the sunny slopes of the mountains of Honshu. It is a highly branched shrub, reaching two meters in height and distinguished by very fragrant flowers, painted in bright orange color and collected in 12 pieces in powerful clusters.

It is no exaggeration to say that this species in terms of decorativeness during the flowering period has no equal in central Russia. Recommended for both single and group plantings. It looks spectacular in combination with other rhododendrons, especially against the background of dark-leaved species.

Read the next part. Rhododendrons: planting, care, use in design →