The healthy foliage is deep green and the habit is more open than the species. Rhododendron maximum It grows in woods, often in dense shade, from sea level to 6000 feet in eastern North America from Georgia to Quebec and Nova Scotia. [3][4][5] Fraser’s son wrote in 1799 of their discovery: There are over 800 species of rhododendrons ranging from spreading groundcovers a few inches high to 100 foot tall trees and many thousands of registered, named varieties. Some are wild. The shade-tolerant rosebay (Rhododendron maximum) grows wild from Nova Scotia to Georgia. The plant is more compact than the species with pinkish-white blooms. However, some feel the first discovery probably belongs to Scotsman George Fraser who introduced the plant in 1809. Many different species of deciduous azaleas are found in the wild from Alabama and Georgia to Maine. Give your rhododendron 2–6 feet (0.61–1.83 m) of space. 3. Unlike many blooming plants, rhododendron does not like full morning sun in winter and does best when planted in dappled shade on the north side of a building. 2.0 The Catawba Rhododendron, Rhododendron catawbiense Michaux André Michaux first described the Catawba rhododendron in his 1803Flora Boreali - Americana. Rhododendron maximum is the largest rhododendron native to north America, typically reaching a mature height of 15', but it has been known to grow up to 30' under exceptionally favorable conditions. Twenty-four species of rhododendron are native to North America. It is also one of the faster-growing rhododendrons, often putting on 8-12" trusses each year. 'Midsummer' - This cultivar bears pink blooms with a slightly gold throat. The plant blooms in white flowers with pink edges and red blotches in February and March. Rosebay Rhododendron is a highly useful shade shrub - It is one of the most shade-tolerant shrubs in North America. 'Pride's Pink' - A hardy plant with an upright-spreading habit, … Climate. 'Wilson' Rhododendron-One of the best broadleaf evergreens for foliage.-Useful in mass plantings and grouping-Excellent as a neutral filler at the base of leggy plants for borders-Good foundation plant: 3' to 4' 4A to 7A: Thrives in Acidic soils. Everything about this shrub is large: the 25, or so, individual white to pink flowers are up to 2" across, and clustered to form large showy umbels. Use your hands to loosen the root ball and pull roots near the cuts outward. Rhododendron watsonii. Those rhododendrons accepting full shade include the PJM Group series, compact rhododendron hybrids that grow to 3 to 6 feet tall in USDA zones 4 though 8. Water the rhododendron plant, then make 2 inches (5.1 cm) cuts into the root ball equally spaced around the sides. The watsonii is a winter-flowering rhododendron, according to “Winter-flowering Shrubs” by Michael W. Buffin. Rhododendron species catawbiense , maximum and minus or carolinianum can be found growing wild in certain mountainous parts of the eastern U.S. Common Name A - Z Listing Botanical Name A - Z Listing : Rhododendron maximum 'Independence' (Independence Rosebay Rhododendron) Botanical Name: Rhododendron maximum 'Independence' Common Name: Independence Rosebay Rhododendron Plant Hardiness: Zone 3 Flower: The large trusses are made up of clear pink flowers with a large yellow flare on the upper petal. This stimulates your rhododendron's root growth and helps it absorb water and nutrients. Rhododendron maximum: 15' to 20' Partial shade: N.A. Slow growth rate. Use Rosebay as a backdrop for a shade garden, or as a screen for a shady yard. Growing along streams and on moist, rocky wooded slopes, R. maximum tolerates the low pH … Growing rhododendron is an exacting task, but with the right soil and location, the rhododendron bush will provide an optimum performance. 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