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Ericaceae
Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Caution, danger, beware, but also abundance.
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Genus
- Rhododendron
- Native to
- Asia, North America, Europe, Australia
- Bloom season
- Spring, Early Summer
- Type
- evergreen or deciduous shrub
- Height
- 30 cm – 30 m
- Sunlight
- Partial shade
- Soil
- Acidic, moist, well-drained, humus-rich
- Water
- Regular
- Hardiness
- 4–9
- Lifespan
- Perennial; some live over 1,000 years
Did you know
- Rhododendron is one of the largest plant genera, with over 1,000 species — and azaleas are technically rhododendrons.
- Rhododendron is the national flower of Nepal, where forests of tree-sized rhododendrons bloom on Himalayan slopes.
- Some species of rhododendron contain grayanotoxin — 'mad honey' from rhododendron nectar has been used both medicinally and as a poison since ancient times.
- The largest rhododendron in the world, in Lake Eacham, Australia, is over 30 meters tall.
- Rhododendrons evolved alongside their bee pollinators and rely on specialized buzz pollination.