Rhododendron yunnanense is a small shrub, usually 1 to 2 m tall, native to high mountain slopes in western China, Myanmar and nearby regions. It is grown for its white, pink or purple flowers and is best suited to cool, humid gardens with acidic soil.
Family
Ericaceae (Heather family)
Grows as
Shrub
Light
Part shade
Water
Keep soil evenly moist and never waterlogged, using rainwater or soft water where possible.
Soil
Acidic, humus-rich, free-draining soil or ericaceous compost.
Temperature
Cool to mild climates; hardy to about -15 °C, with protection from hot dry summers.
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Toxic: All parts, especially leaves and nectar, contain grayanotoxins that can cause vomiting, weakness and low blood pressure if eaten.. Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA).
Native range
Tibet to C. China and N. Indo-China
Climate
temperate
About
Rhododendron yunnanense (云南杜鹃) is a species of rhododendron native to Myanmar and Guizhou, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, and Yunnan, China, where it grows at altitudes of 2200–3600 meters. It is a shrub that grows to 1–2 m in height, with leaves that are oblong, lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate or obovate, 2.5–7 by 0.8–3m in size. Flowers are white, pale red, or pale purple.
In cultivation in the UK the cultivar 'Openwood' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The flowers are a pale lavender with a crimson spotted throat.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Rhododendron yunnanense by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.