Types and varieties of rhododendron

Rhododendron belongs to evergreen deciduous shrubs. This plant is a member of the Heather family. It has up to 1000 subspecies, making it popular with plant lovers.

Rosewood, as the rhododendron is called in other words, looks like a rose. The homeland of the dwarf shrub is considered the south of China, Japan, North America, southeast Asia, the Himalayas. Often this plant in the wild settles on the shore of a reservoir or a mountain slope. The variety of rosewood is especially striking, after all, it is found as a plant with a straight stem, and a bush that creeps.

Rhododendron flowers can have different shapes, sizes, and colors. It can bloom not only with miniature flowers, but also with giant buds of 20 centimeters. The garden representative is in the form of a shrub, its root system is located in a compact manner on the surface. Foliage is sessile, petiolate type, and also located on the shoots in turn. The shape of the foliage is characterized by ovate and obovate, the margins are both whole-edged and serrate.

The pink tree pleases with the varied color of its flowers, which can be white, purple, red and lilac. The shape of the buds is influenced by the type of plant, it can be bell-shaped, wheel-shaped, tubular, funnel-shaped types. Some varieties have a pleasant aroma. The formation of the rhododendron fruit occurs in the form of pentacleous capsules, inside which rod-shaped seeds are collected. In nature, the rose tree can be found both as a single representative and in a group.

Growing a rhododendron can turn a garden into a blooming original islet. Thanks to the wide variety of this plant, each grower can choose the most suitable option for his region. Judging by the name of the rosewood, one can guess what its description will be.

Evergreen shrubs of the Yakushiman rhododendron reach a height of 100 cm, as well as a diameter of 150 cm. The foliage of the plant is long, narrow, painted in a rich green color. Flowers of the Yakushiman rose tree are collected in bouquets of 10-12 pieces. Flowers can change their color - from light pink to white during the period from May to June. This species is frost-resistant, slow-growing.

The semi-shrub is characterized by extraordinary attractiveness, therefore, breeders constantly use it to develop new varieties. This representative is able to withstand low temperatures and does not need shelter for the winter. The brightest representatives of the Yakushiman rhododendron include such varieties as:

• Kalinka;
• Percy Weissman;
• "Bluuretta";
• "Fantastic";
• The Golden Torch.

This type of rhododendron can grow up to 1 meter in height, therefore, it is often used as flowering hedges in parks and home gardens. The plant blooms with bells and funnels, equipped with rainbow stamens. Inflorescences in this type of rose tree are both voluminous and consisting of 2-3 flowers. The latter are characterized by large sizes, can have many colors: rich red, scarlet, yellow, delicate pink, lilac.

The main difference between the deciduous species and the rest is the scale and abundance of flowering. When blooming, the shrub looks like a bright glade, covered with unusual flowers.In autumn, the foliage of this plant takes on interesting shades, which contributes to the transformation of the front gardens. Rhododendron grows slowly, but at the same time it is good for pruning and the procedure for forming a crown. This frost-resistant species includes varieties such as:

• Kamchatsky;
• "Klondike";
• Silver Slipper;
• Narcissiflora;
• "Ghent";
• Homebush;
• Anneke;
• Nabucco and others.

This type of shrub belongs to the upright deciduous rhododendron. In height, it can reach 200-300 cm. Young naked shoots of a representative of the flora are covered with bloom, they have thin oblong foliage up to 8 centimeters long. Flowers have a size of 3 to 6 centimeters, their blooming occurs after the completion of the foliage development phase.

Rhododendron Ledebour is considered an evergreen shrub, its height can reach 1.5 m. This plant is grown on a personal plot, and in nature it can be found on a rocky mountainous area, a rock, in a forest between deciduous trees. Ledebour is characterized by slender shoots, dark green foliage that has a leathery structure and an elliptical shape. This rhododendron blooms within 14 days, usually in May. The flowers are purple in color and reach 5 centimeters in diameter.

The golden shrub can reach a height of 0.3–0.6 meters. It is easily recognizable due to the fact that it has dark branches that are pressed to the ground. The petioles of the plant are slightly pubescent. The foliage of this type of rosewood is considered evergreen, it is elliptical in shape and curled around the edges. The length of foliage can be from 2.5 to 8 centimeters, the width of which is 10-25 mm.

In the lower part of the shrub, the leaves have a pale golden color. At the same time, the top of the golden rhododendron is covered with dense dark green foliage. The plant blooms with golden yellow buds. The fruits of this type have the form of a cylindrical box about one and a half centimeters long and up to 6 mm wide.

Among the large species diversity of rhododendron, an attractive plant can be distinguished - the Katevbinsky shrub. It is quite large, as it can reach a height of 200-400 centimeters, adding 10 cm in height every year. The rose tree is characterized by a dense crown with a diameter of 200 cm. The bark is brown. The foliage of the shrub is ellipsoidal and has a rich green color.

The flowers of the Katevbin rhododendron are presented in the form of bells with white, lilac, purple and violet-red hues. They are not characterized by small dimensions and are often collected in inflorescences of 20 pieces. Outwardly, the shrub looks elegant and attractive.

The Canadian rhododendron belongs to a low-growing plant, its height rarely exceeds 100 cm. The shrub is characterized by smooth branches, oblong foliage. The edges of the latter are curled. The color is bluish-green at the top of the bush, and gray at the bottom. The shoots of the Canadian rhododendron are thin, they are colored yellow-red, and as time passes, they acquire a grayish-brown color. In the inflorescence, from 3 to 7 flowers are collected, which bloom until the foliage is fully developed. Corollas are colored purple-violet or pink-purple.

The shrub of Smirnov's rhododendron is evergreen, it is characterized by extraordinary splendor and resistance to frost. The height of the plant does not exceed 1.5 m. The inflorescence is collected in an attractive bouquet with a light pink color and yellow specks. Young branches are slightly pubescent, and old branches are covered with gray bark.

The leaves of the Smirnov rhododendron are characterized by the shape of an ellipse and a blunt top. The top of the leaves is green and shiny, and the bottom is brownish. The inflorescence has 10-14 flowers with a diameter of about 0.15 meters.Corolla funnel-shaped, they are naked and painted in purple pink, and the flowers are covered with yellow spots. This type of rosewood can withstand up to 26 degrees of frost.

Rhododendron is considered an exotic frost-resistant plant, so it can be grown even in regions with a harsh climate, as well as in the Urals. It is worth taking a closer look at the popular varieties of rosewood.

• "Fantastic" Is a short, evergreen shrub that can grow up to 100 centimeters. The crown can grow up to 150 cm wide. The plant grows slowly, it is spreading and cushion-like. Fantastica's foliage is dense and long, but can grow up to 12 cm in length, its color is bright green. The bud is bright red, but as it opens, it brightens. Flowers are bell-shaped, they are quite variegated.

The petal is wavy with a bright pink border, while the flower itself is painted white. The petals are characterized by the presence of dot patterns. The inflorescence is spherical, about 10 large flowers are concentrated in it. The roots of the plant are shallow and flat.

• "Chania" Is an exquisite variety of rhododendron that has flowers with a unique shape and color of flowers. This plant is considered to be quite popular among nature lovers. The flower is funnel-shaped and large, it has funnel-shaped petals and a blurry pink color, which is much darker at the base than at the top. Cherry-colored specks are evenly distributed throughout the throat.

The leaves are semi-glossy, they are large and colored green. The variety is characterized by the abundance and duration of flowering. The shrub is not tall, but quite wide, it shows resistance to all kinds of diseases.

• Golden lights... This variety is a hybrid deciduous, it has high frost resistance. An ornamental plant can grow up to 150-200 cm. The flowering period begins in May, so this variety is considered vulnerable. The shrub is characterized by compactness, straightness and looseness of shape. As time passes, the plant becomes thicker and grows in the form of a hemisphere. The crown is characterized by a large width, its diameter can reach 1.5 m. The leaf is oblong, wide, blade-shaped.

It has an olive green color, which changes to a rich burgundy in autumn. The stem is well branched. The flowers are salmon orange, funnel-shaped and medium in size. The throat of the flower is lighter than its edges, the color is usually pink. The Golden Lights inflorescence is a large bouquet of 8-10 flowers.

• Mandarin Lights. Azalea of ​​this variety is considered a frost-resistant plant. The rosewood flower is characterized by a pleasant aroma, funnel shape, up to 5 centimeters in diameter and red-orange color. On the top of the flower there is an orange spot, the margins have a wavy structure. The inflorescence is spherical, it contains from 7 to 10 flowers. An upright shrub blooms profusely.

"Mandarin lights" can reach a height of 1.8 m, while the crown of the representative of the flora is rounded. The foliage of the rhododendron is elliptical, it has a sharp top and a flat base.

• Kalinka. The plant is considered to be flowering, evergreen and ornamental. The crown of the variety is characterized by density and domed shape. An adult plant can reach a height of 150 cm, while the rhododendron grows slowly. The foliage of the rosewood is dense, leathery, pale green at the top, gray with brown pubescence at the bottom. The flower is light pink with a wavy border and brown specks. The flowering period is in May.

• "Percy Weissman" is a dense domed shrub. Its flowers are pink in color with a peach tint, and at the end of flowering turn to white.Each inflorescence of this rhododendron consists of 15 flowers. The foliage is glossy and quite neat. "Percy Wiseman" grows quickly, adding about 10 cm in width annually. The variety prefers drained acidic soils, it reacts negatively to drought.

• "Bluuretta" grows up to 90 cm and is 130 cm wide. This variety is considered an evergreen, domed, miniature shrub that grows slowly. The flowers of the plant are painted with violet-pink, red-violet flowers, their edges are corrugated. Bluuretta prefers cool, fresh and well-drained soil with a lot of humus. This variety of rhododendron is used both singly and during group planting.

• "Lumina" Is a bush that has an extremely flattened shape and medium height. The rose tree blooms with large ruby ​​flowers, which can brighten with age. The edges of the petals are characterized by corrugation. The formation of flower buds occurs early and is abundant. The foliage is large and shiny, there are many of them on the bush. The shrub can withstand frosts up to 28 degrees. The plant is characterized by slow growth, but at the same time it is resistant to diseases and looks great.

A rose tree that grows outdoors needs proper care. The plant requires timely spraying, watering, fertilizing, weeding, pruning, as well as taking measures to protect against diseases and pests. Since the root system of the bush is located superficially, it is not necessary to carry out weeding and loosening of the soil near the rhododendron... This procedure must be done manually.

This culture is demanding on the humidity in the atmosphere and soil, so watering the plant must be correct, because it has a direct effect on the formation of buds. Irrigation should be carried out using settled soft water.... It is necessary to water the shrub with the loss of turgor and softening of the leaf plates. During this procedure, it is worth making sure that the soil is saturated 20-30 cm deep. And it is not necessary to allow stagnation of moisture, which can lead to the folding and lowering of the sheet plates.

Rosewood bushes are naturally characterized by regularity of shape, therefore, formative pruning is not needed. Cutting the rhododendron is only necessary in case of excessive height. And also do not forget about anti-aging procedures, in which it is worth cutting off damaged and frostbitten shoots. To improve the flowering of the shrub, it is worth breaking out all the inflorescences that have already faded.

Fertilizing rhododendron is as follows:

1. in the first days of spring, organic or mineral fertilizer should be applied to the soil under a rose tree, which contains nitrogen;
2. in early summer, after the end of the flowering phase, 1 square meter should be added 20 g of potassium sulphide and superphosphate, as well as twice as much ammonium sulphide;
3. the last feeding is carried out in July, for its carrying out it is worth adding 20 g of potassium sulphide, as well as superphosphate per 1 square meter.

Often, the plant is attacked by a mealybug, scale insect, spider mite, bug, weevil, rhododendra fly, slug and snail. If gastropods were seen on the rose tree, then it is worthwhile to immediately conduct fungicide treatment, for example, "Tirama". Diazinon is effective against other harmful parasites of this plant.

See the following video for caring for rhododendron.