Rhododendron desquamatum (Rhododendron)
Botanical Information
| Family | Ericaceae |
| Genus | Rhododendron |
| Species | desquamatum |
| Synonyms | Rhododendron catapastum, Rhododendron stenoplastum, Rhododendron squarrosum |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Tree (evergreen), Shrub (evergreen) |
| References | Rhododendron desquamatum from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/rhododendron/rhododendron-desquamatum/). Accessed 20-6-2019. |
| Origin | Native to north west Yunnan and of bordering parts of Szechwan, Tibet, and Myanmar. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 5 - 8 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 6 - 8a |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H7 - H4 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -34 |
| Temperature (°F) | -30 |
| Height | 8 m |
| Flowering Period | March, April |
Description and Growing Information
| Shape | Low growing dome. |
| Landscape | Informal hedge. Will provide a beautiful display of mauve or pinkish mauve to purple flowers which are very appealing. It is not recommended for use unless it is kept in check by trapping it between a house wall and a concrete pathway. |
| Propagation | Seeds germinate easily without any special treatment to break dormancy. Cuttings should be treated with alcohol for 5 seconds, placed in a well drained media and misted. |
| Cultivation | Best grown in moist, fertile, well-drained loams in full sun to part shade. Best flowering occurs in full sun. |
| Pests | Vine weevils, white flies, scale insects, caterpillars, aphids and honey fungus. |
| Notable Specimens | Caerhays Castle, Goran, Cornwall, United Kingdom. |
| Habitat | Mild, wet, richly acidic soil regions, lightly wooded and open meadow areas at lower elevations. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Dark brown-grey, mild fissures can be found on older growth. |
| Leaf Description | Leaves 7 - 10 cm long, 1 - 2 cm wide, elliptic, oblong-elliptic, or occasionally lanceolate or oblanceolate, acuminate at the apex, cuneate to rounded at the base, upper surface dull green, petioles about 1 cm long and scaly. |
| Flower Description | Inflorescence terminal, with four to eight flowers on pedicels 1 - 2 cm long, scaly. Calyx rim-like, scaly. Corolla funnel-shaped, very often widely so or almost flat, up to about 4 cm long and 5 cm wide, scaly on the outside, varying in colour from mauve or pinkish mauve to purple, spotted with crimson. Ovary densely scaly and style glabrous. |
| Fruit Description | The fruit is a dry capsule 1.5-2.5 cm in length, filled with many seeds. |
Photographs
Rhododendron desquamatum, form, Caerhays Castle, Goran, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Rhododendron desquamatum, leaf, Caerhays Castle, Goran, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Rhododendron desquamatum, flower cluster, Caerhays Castle, Goran, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Rhododendron desquamatum, flower cluster, Caerhays Castle, Goran, Cornwall, United Kingdom.