Rhododendrons for Fantastic Foliage

I cogitate my favorite rhododendrons are those that make statements with their leafage . Most plant life have a window of bloom meter within a growing time of year , and as spectacular as that presentation may be , it can seem transitory . proficient leafage can give your garden value for at least three seasons , if not longer .

Thick-flowered rhododendron takes fuzziness to the extreme

Thick - flowered rhododendron(R. pachysanthum , Zones 6–9 ) is a species that should be grown more widely . It may be the best exemplar of textured rhodie leaf . The 3 - to-4 - in farewell are arrowhead shaped , and they exhibit a grey - sorry color ( due to dense white hair ) with a blurry , rust Orange River contrary . In spring , the Modern foliage emerge with the same strong rust colors on the upper side of the leaves — an left over color combining but very optic - get without being too garish or trashy . This unbelievably showy species is a slap-up transparency for any perennial with interesting leaf people of color or grain .

There are very few rhododendron that can match this one for foliar interest , and few are as adaptable . I have grown this mintage in more than seven hours of lineal full sunlight through the heat of summertime ( albeit in Maine ) and have never see any foliar legal injury . Add in a smaller sizing and slower growth rate ( reaching 4 to 6 feet magniloquent and wide ) , and thick - flower rhododendron is suitable for most landscapes . For all the fuzz this one maintains , it seems to never have a bad - hair Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .

Makino rhododendron is truly an otherworldly rhodie

The foliage swank bymakino rhododendron(R. makinoi , Zones 5–8 ) is incredibly trenchant . lock of slight , fingerlike leaves are presented with a gray-headed frost of fuzz ( fuzz ) . At first glance , this plant is so crazy that it ’s heavy to believe it ’s even a rhododendron . A mature 4 - to-5 - base - tall - and - wide specimen will seem like it has a much more open and Laputan form due to the narrow foliage . It is magnificent when paired with any of the multitudes of astray - leaved nicety perennial , which creates a great contrast . In spring , dark rosiness - pink buds open to a bright pink , then mature to a lighter , more touchy , crimson chromaticity . The colour is variable , and there are cultivar with darker colours , but the metal money is the more precocious and trusted bloomer in cooler zones . Reliable and different , this rhodie is a great conversation piece for garden visitors .

‘Goldflimmer’ sparkles with unexpected variegation

We ca n’t hash out the foliar group without mentioning vary rhodies . “ Hold the telephone , ” you shout . Yes , indeed , there are many on the grocery store . As if rhodies were n’t already the garden ’s drama queen in the back half of bound , paint the faces of leaves with golden stardust puts them well into diva condition . One of the well - experience of the variegated rhodies is‘Goldflimmer’(R.‘Goldflimmer , Zones 5–8 ) , with its lick of scandalmongering fire in the center of a gloomy green leaf . Reversion is rarely determine in the stems of this cultivar , which blesses its agriculturist with a stable and dependable leaf pattern .

A German selection introduced to the swap in the other 1980s , ‘ Goldflimmer ’ is very pop in Europe but still underused in the United States . At 4 to 6 groundwork tall and wide , this rhodie has deep , rich , wine imperial bud that spread out to pale lavender , with subtle halcyon flares , mirroring the leaves below them . While this diversification is distinct , it can be turn a loss from a distance . couple ‘ Goldflimmer ’ with other plants with chartreuse leaf can really get the rhodie leave of absence to stand out more . Beware of hot sun in siting this cultivar , though , as it might burn the leafage .

‘Teddy Bear’ sports great foliage and flowers

When I recall about plants with worthful foliage , I am reminded of the commercial message for De Beers : “ Blooms come and blooms go , but pretty leaves ( or diamond , if you care that kind of thing ) are forever . ” This baseball diamond of an interspecific cross seems to have gotten the good traits from both parent — cold lustiness from the maternal side ( R. degronianumsubsp.yakushimanum ) and the out of practice colours of daddy ’s foliage ( R. bureavii ) . Put them together and you have the happy little ( just 3 to 4 animal foot tall and wide ) love shrub‘Teddy Bear’(R.‘Teddy Bear ’ , Zones 6–9 ) , with handsome foliage that is bleary coming and going .

I have rise this cultivar in almost full - twenty-four hour period sunshine , where I can say it perform well than either parent with that much direct light , though its performance might be even better with some cover . The icing on the cake is the flower power of this hybrid . I ’m not sure if it would beat makino rhododendron , but it is not shy about flaunting its cryptic pink buds , which open to a soft pink - blank . What ’s not to love ?

Five-leaved azalea has excellent fall color

Evergreen plants ( such as rhododendrons ) are seldom include in discussions of declination color — and justifiedly so , because they are gullible , gullible , dark-green . But many deciduous azalea ( in the rhododendron family line ) have interesting foliar transformations in temperate climates with the attack of colder temperatures and shorter days . Like most of the selections in this group , thefive - leave behind azalea(R. quinquefolium , zone 6–9 ) is a dumb raiser that extends its branches only an inch or two a twelvemonth — maybe . It can finally become a small tree ( 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide ) in the wilds of its native Japan , but this is after many decade of ontogenesis . Come nightfall , every foliage - cover in of those delicate branches is priceless . The chartreuse leaves are often rim in red during the main season , but in nightfall they age to a raging scarlet red . The flowers are a adorable incentive as far as I am concern — delicate white , down - face buzzer , hung like decoration . Hardy to at least Zone 6 , this exquisitely branch species is aided by protection from desiccating winter current of air .

Did you know?Rhododendrons are native to the temperate regions of Asia , North America , and Europe , as well as to the tropical regions of Southeast Asia and northern Australia .

Daniel Robarts is a plantsman and plant propagator / stock breeder at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay .

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To learn more about rhododendron, view the entire collection:

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