Beautiful-face Rhododendron
Rhododendron calophytum
Heath family (Ericaceae)
Least concern
Big and small
Rhododendron calophytum is a large rhododendron indigenous to Yunnan Province in China. This shrub can grow into a small tree with a height of 10 m. In Yunnan Province this species can become dominant in places and form a forest in its own right.
In the gardens of Europe, the plant is restricted to being a large shrub bearing large umbels of white and purple flowers in spring. The stigma on the pistil in the centre of the flower can become very large with a diameter of 20 cm. Moreover, the leaves are relatively large for a rhododendron with a length of more than 30 cm.
However, these leaves are narrow and lance-shaped so the bushes do not appear as dense as other rhododendrons.
Themes
Crown jewel in the Kerkrade Botanic Garden.
Very rare because the species has been subject to excessive uprooting.
All parts of the plant are poisonous.
Details
| Description: | Tree, shrub, max. 12 m. |
|---|---|
| Distributions: | China and tibet |
| Habitat: | Grows in shallow, moist, slightly acidic sandy soils, clay and loam under a humid atmosphere, in semishade; helps stabilise the ecosystem. |
| Year cycle: | Perennial (polycarpic evergreen) |
| Hardiness: | -4 - 5 f (hardy - very cold winter) |
| Flowering period: | Maart - april |
| Flower color: | Pink, white |
| Notes on flowers: | Perianth is light pink. |