Rhododendron catawbiense

• BOTANICAL NAME: Rhododendron catawbiense
• PRONUNCIATION: ro-do-DEN-drun ka-taw-bi-EN-see
• COMMON NAME: Catawba rhododendron
• FAMILY: Ericaceae
• NATIVITY: West Virginia southwest to Georgia and Alabama in the Appalachian Mtns
• GROWTH HABIT: Shrub with dense foliage, mostly rounded apperance.
• SIZE: 6-10' tall, 5-8' wide
• HARDINESS: Zone 4-8
• CULTURE: Part shade to shade; needs shelter from wind and strong sun.  Prefers moist, well-drained, acidic, highly organic soil.
• LANDSCAPE USE: Good for mass plantings or borders.
• FOLIAGE: Alternate, simple, evergreen.
• BARK: New growth is pale green; mature stems are brown.
• FRUIT:  Dehiscent capsule with 5 valves.
• FLOWER: 5 -6" clusters of light to rosy purple flowers, 1 1/2" long and 2 1/2" wide, marked with green-light brown in center of corolla.
• BUDS: Yellow-green scales, 1/2" long, pointed.
• PROPAGATION: Seed or cuttings.
• PESTS: Canker, root rot, lace bugs.
• CULTIVARS:
  • `Nova Zembla' - red flowers
  • Roseum Elegans - dark foliage, violet flowers