Shape | Upright rounded. |
Landscape | As a showy large shrub in a woodland garden as a specimen. |
Propagation | By seed. |
Cultivation | Grow under partial shade in moist but well-drained acidic soil. |
Pests | Caterpillars, aphids, vine weevil, leafhoppers, lacebugs and scales. May be susceptible to rhododendron petal blight, rhododendron bud blast, powdery mildews and silver leaf. |
Notable Specimens | VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. |
Habitat | Elevations upwards of 4000 m. |
Bark/Stem Description | Extremely thin, paper-like exfoliating outer bark. Thicker smooth bark underneath. |
Leaf Description | Oblong-elliptic to lanceolate leaves 16 - 30 cm long and 5 - 12 cm wide. |
Flower Description | Inflorescences of 20 - 50 small flowers 2 - 4 cm long. |
Colour Description | Magenta to purple inflorescences. Deep green-black foliage. Brownish-brass-coloured bark. |
Texture Description | Medium to smooth. |