Description of varieties of flowering rhododendrons
Blooming rhododendrons can be grown in pots, greenhouses, or flower beds. During the flowering period, they look beautiful, so in the spring they will become a decoration of the garden.
The flower belongs to the Heather family. It is also called the “rose tree”. Plants vary greatly depending on the species. There are creeping varieties and shrubs up to 10 m in height. Flowers are small and more than 20 cm in diameter.
There are deciduous and evergreen shrubs. In total, there are up to 12 thousand varieties of this flowering plant.
When choosing a flower, give preference to winter-hardy species. Deciduous varieties are the most unpretentious to care for and resistant to cold, namely:
- “Daursky”. Leaves for the winter curl and change color to a darker one, in the spring they open again. The buds open in early spring.
- “Canadian”. The buds appear before the leaves open. Flowering occurs in May. Flowers up to 3 cm in diameter, leaves 5 cm in length, turn yellow in autumn. A hybrid of this variety is the “Frazera” species. Its flowers are purple-violet. Bushes are undersized, up to 1,2 m in height.
- “Japanese”. Shrubs have a branched crown. The leaves are large, up to 10 cm long. In autumn, they acquire bright red or yellow shades. Flowering continues from mid-May to June. The flowers are red, orange or yellow, up to 8 cm in diameter.
All species are distinguished by long flowering. In regions with harsh winters, it is advisable to cover the soil with peat or compost.
Evergreen varieties of rhododendron
The following varieties have good frost resistance:
- Album Novum. Blooms later, the buds are pink, after opening they become white with a yellow spot. Bushes are spherical, vigorous.
- “Grand-Diflorum”. The bush has a spherical shape with a flattened top. The flowers are pale lilac.
- “Helsinki University”. One of the most frost-resistant varieties. Withstands frosts down to -40˚С. The flowers are pink, with a burgundy tint inside.
- Elite. The bush blooms from late April to early May. The flowers are lilac-pink, the shade is darker along the edge.
These varieties do not need shelter for the winter.
Group plantings of rhododendrons look most impressive on a flower bed, but for each plant you need to allocate 1 square meter. m plot. Tall varieties can be planted near gazebos, along paths or bodies of water. Low-growing plants are suitable for decorating lawns, rock gardens and rocky gardens.