Rhododendron 'Duke of Cornwall' (Duke of Cornwall Rhododendron)

Botanical Information

FamilyEricaceae
GenusRhododendron
Cultivar'Duke of Cornwall'
TypeShrub (evergreen)
OriginHorticultural origin (Hybridiser: Gill, Richards & Sons. Penryn, Cornwall, England).

Details

USDA Hardiness Zone7 - 9
USDA Hardiness Ref.
Canadian Hardiness ZoneRequires cold season protection under glass.
Canada Hardiness Ref.
RHS Hardiness ZoneH4
RHS Hardiness Ref.
Height8-12 m
Spread2.5-4 m
GrowthMedium
Flowering PeriodMarch, April

Description and Growing Information

General DescriptionAn upright, vigorous evergreen shrub, bearing large dome-shaped trusses of bright crimson flowers and conspicuously veined green leaf.
ShapeA large dome-shaped.
LandscapeInformal hedge. Will provide a beautiful display of bright crimson flowers which are very appealing.
PropagationPropagate by seed when ripe, or semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, layering in autumn or grafting in late summer or late winter.
CultivationGrow in moist but well-drained, leafy, humus-rich acid soil in part shade with shelter.
PestsPotential insects include vine weevil, rhododendron leafhopper, pieris lacebug, scale insects, caterpillars and aphids. Potential diseases include powdery mildews, rhododendron petal blight, rhododendron bud blast, silver leaf and honey fungus
Notable SpecimensCaerhays Castle, Goran, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Bark/Stem DescriptionDark brown-grey.
Leaf DescriptionThick, glabrous, simple leaves in a lanceolate/elliptical shape, leathery texture, 6-18 cm long and 2-5 cm wide, growing in a whorled pattern. Dark green above, light green underneath.
Flower DescriptionFunnel campanulate, 2.5 5 cm long, bright crimson colour, outside scaly, sometimes fragrant. Truss holds 4-6 flowers. 

Photographs