70 species and varieties of rhododendrons with descriptions and characteristics

Rhododendron is one of the most beautiful and elegant plants, widely used in landscape design. Moreover, many of them grow well and overwinter in the climate of the Central zone, provided they are planted in the acidic soil necessary for plants from the Heather family. And the existing varieties of azaleas and rhododendrons will not leave anyone indifferent.

Kinds

There are many varieties and hybrids of rhododendrons. They differ in various ways, including origin and frost resistance.

Deciduous

Deciduous rhododendron species are characterized by seasonal changes in foliage. Closer to winter, it flies around, and in the spring it grows again. They differ in that they are completely covered with flowers.

Evergreens

This species is characterized by high frost resistance and a harmonious combination of shiny foliage and gorgeous flowers.

Intermediate

There are also intermediate hybrid forms that incorporate the characteristics of different types of rhododendrons.

Frost-resistant

There are many winter-hardy species of rhododendrons that are grown without shelter. Plants bred by Finnish breeders are especially distinguished by this indicator (they can withstand up to -35 C degrees).

Hybrid

Hybrid forms of rhododendrons arise in nature as a result of uncontrolled cross-pollination of different species. Breeders, on the contrary, carry out hybridization purposefully.

Characteristics of various varieties

Rhododendrons are valued for their highest decorative value. Breeders have bred many types of plants - for every taste, with the widest characteristics.

Grandmother

Winter-hardy, beautiful variety, blooming with numerous large, semi-double flowers. They are coral pink, with a dark red pattern on the central petals.

Golden

Evergreen, winter-hardy plant. The flowers are bell-shaped, light yellow, collected in numerous inflorescences at the ends of the branches.

English Roseum

Old English variety. The bush is compact, well branched. The foliage is dark green and shiny. The flowers are large, double, bright crimson.

Karens

A spectacular variety related to Japanese azaleas. The bush is compact, the crown is spherical. Flowers with a strong aroma, blood-red, speckled with purple. In autumn the foliage takes on a wine hue.

Mount St Helens

Azalea, characterized by the highest frost resistance. The leaves are dark green, with a glossy sheen, becoming rich bronze in autumn. The flowers are bell-shaped, delicate, shrimp-pink, with golden spots.

Nova Zembla

A beautiful, decorative variety. The crown is highly branched and spreading. The leaves are dark green, the flowers are deep ruby, with purple-brownish streaks.

PZHM elite

Frost-resistant, small-leaved hybrid. The habit of the bush is compact, the flowers are cone-shaped, raspberry-pink in color.

Rosie Lights

American deciduous azalea with deep pink flowers. It is characterized by high frost resistance.

Roseum elegans

Old English elegant variety. The crown is hemispherical, spreading, highly branched. It grows slowly. The flowers are soft pink, with wavy edges, and bell-shaped.

White Lights

American frost-resistant variety. It is distinguished by the ability to change the color of flowers. When they bloom, they are pinkish-pearly, and then turn white.

Yellow

This rhododendron served as the basis for hybridization and has been known since the late 18th century.This is a highly branching shrub, with fragrant, large yellow-orange inflorescences.

Helliki

Finnish hybrid with fantastic frost resistance. The bush is compact, with reddish-pink, gradually lighter flowers.

Katevbinsky

Winter-hardy, large-leaved, vigorous rhododendron, one of the first brought to Europe from America. The flowers are bell-shaped, lilac-purple in color.

Kamchatsky

Dwarf rhododendron with a “fastidious” character. The bush is compact, the height is 2 times less than the width. The flowers are open, lilac-violet.

Caroline

A winter-hardy rhododendron with white or pinkish-purple bell-shaped flowers.

Bluretti

Sot medalist. It is a dense, small shrub with purple-red flowers. The edges of the petals are corrugated.

Bernstein

A wide shrub with a rounded crown, covered with dark green leaves. The flowers are soft peach, with a vague orange spot.

Malton gold

Compact shrub with a spherical crown and pinkish-purple inflorescences. Winter hardiness is average.

Midnight mystic

The variety is characterized by low growth and compact habit. The flowers are white, with a thick purple border and a lilac spot on the upper petal.

Marcel Menard

A bush with a wide, slightly irregular crown. It has light purple flowers, with a greenish-yellow, blurred spot on the upper petal.

Hybrid Brazil

Low, densely branched shrub. Characterized by high frost resistance. The flowers are orange-pinkish, with ruffled edges.

Erato

Characterized by spreading, upward-pointing shoots, the crown is wide. It is also quite frost-hardy. Flowers with slightly double edges, dark red.

Lita

A vigorous variety with the highest frost resistance for rhododendrons.The flowers are violet-pinkish, with olive spots on the upper petal.

Alfred

Compact, winter-hardy shrub with large, purple-reddish flowers, marked by a light green spot on the upper petal.

Chanel

Deciduous variety with dark green, slightly pubescent leaves. The flowers are delicate, pinkish, with yellow specks. Winter hardiness is high.

Elsie Lee

Low, compact, upright growing bush. The flowers are double, deep lavender, with a purple pattern on the upper petal.

Gibraltar

A tall, spreading shrub with bronze-colored foliage in spring and reddish-crimson foliage in autumn. The flowers are bell-shaped, orange-reddish in color.

Anneke

Medium-sized variety, spreading shoots, with dark green foliage. The flowers are large, bell-shaped, deep yellow.

Pink Amoena

A miniature variety of Japanese azalea. It is characterized by abundant flowering with pinkish-purple flowers that completely cover the bush.

Humboldt

Compact but highly branched shrub. The leaves are rich green, with a glossy sheen. The flowers are pinkish-purple, with a dark red spot.

Blunt

Has average frost resistance. The bush is not large, spreading, with dark green, glossy foliage. The flowers are numerous, reddish-pink in color.

Creeping Scarlet Wonder

A low-growing shrub characterized by a cushion-shaped crown and bright red flowers.

Kalsap

Spreading shrub with a rounded crown. The flowers are light, lilac-white, with purple-red, numerous dots on the upper petal.

Blue Peter

Relatively winter-hardy variety. The flowers are lavender-bluish, with a dark crimson, blurry spot on the upper petal.

Sarina

A German variety characterized by a wide, spreading habit.The flowers are large, beautiful, reddish-orange, with corrugated edges.

Azurro

Shrub with a spreading, spherical crown. The color is large, bell-shaped, lilac-violet.

Wren

Dwarf, frost-resistant and hardy variety. The flowers are large, yellowish-creamy.

Princess Anne

Low-growing variety with a wide crown. The inflorescences are small, numerous, lemon-cream in color.

Charm

A low, showy variety with flowers that look like orchids. They are bright, pinkish-white, with a dark cherry pattern on the upper petal.

Tortoiseshell orange

A slow-growing variety of rhododendron with large orange-pink flowers.

Hybrid Midnight Mystic

The variety is characterized by the presence of a low, compact bush. The flowers are white, with a thick purple border.

Dagmar

Czech frost-resistant variety. The flowers are soft pinkish, with a golden neck and ruffled edges.

Percy Weissman

Large-flowered, winter-hardy variety. The flowers are shrimp-pink, with a yellowish center.

Finnish selection

A group of evergreen rhododendrons bred by Finnish breeders. They have gained wide popularity due to their high frost resistance.

Bouzouki

Compact shrub with long, narrow, sinewy leaves. The flowers of this variety are large and bright red.

Vazeya zone

The variety is characterized by a spreading crown with elongated dark green leaves. The flowers are soft pinkish, with slight splashes of orange.

Marushka

A low shrub with a wide crown covered with dark green, shiny foliage. The flowers are small, deep red.

Impeditum

Shrub with a wide, cushion-shaped crown. Characterized by slow growth rates, it is widely used in gardens.

Japanese

A sought-after, valuable and decorative species of rhododendrons. Characterized by a spreading and branched crown.

Pontic

A tall, highly branched shrub, less often a small tree with a wide crown.

Pointed

Medium-sized, branched shrub with narrow, bright green, pointed leaves.

Simsa

An Indian variety of azaleas bred for home cultivation.

Canadian

Compact, deciduous shrub with elongated, elliptical leaves and yellowish shoots.

Short-fruited

This is a winter-hardy shrub or tree; when cultivated, the annual growth is small.

Salmon

Frost-resistant variety, characterized by a tall, compact bush and pinkish-salmon flowering.

Dense

Low shrub; the species is used by breeders to develop new products.

Red

Compact bush with a spherical crown and rich red, showy flowers.

Spreading

It is characterized by a short but wide crown with numerous, spreading branches.

White

The variety is distinguished by snow-white flowers with bright, yellow inner stamens.

Dwarf

A low-growing shrub, characterized by numerous raised shoots and a cushion-shaped crown.

Adhesive

Deciduous plant; the bush is characterized by a dense spherical crown.

Thyme-leaved

A low-growing, compact shrub with a dense crown, used for decorative purposes.

small-leaved

A low, branched shrub covered with small, ovate leaves with slightly curved edges.

Thompson

A tall, woody shrub with spreading branches covered with large foliage.

Reviews

“Rhododendron impeditum is an excellent choice for the garden! True, the width takes up enough space. But he's worth it."

Svetlana Kryukova,Nizhny Novgorod

“Parents are something! I have always loved these gorgeous plants. But they require acidic soil, so this should be taken care of in advance.”

Oksana Ivantsova, Anapa