Rhododendron degronianum

Description

Rhododendron degronianum is a species of rhododendron native to northern parts of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, where it grows at altitudes of about 1,800 meters (5,900 ft). Rhododendron degronianum is a shrub that grows to 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) in height, with leaves that are narrowly to broadly elliptic, or linear lanceolate. Its flowers are funnel-shaped and pink to white. Rhododendron degronianum has three subspecies: Rhododendron degronianum subsp. degronianum – leaves with fawn to reddish indumentum Rhododendron degronianum subsp. heptamerum Rhododendron degronianum subsp. yakushimanum – flowers pink fading to white, leaves with white indumentum on top, white to tan indumentum on bottom The highly variable subspecies R. degronianum subsp. yakushimanum (formerly R. yakushimanum) is found wild only on the island of Yakushima, east of Japan, whose mountainous habitat and high rainfall make it an ideal climate for rhododendrons. This subspecies has only been known outside of Japan since 1934 when seedlings were sent to England. Its popularity spread rapidly throughout the world. Many seedlings were dwarf forms measuring only 1.5 m (4.9 ft) tall and broad, but with large clusters of flowers and long narrow convex leaves, decoratively felted on the undersides. It gave rise to numerous cultivars, which are still described as R. yakushimanum (often shortened to “yaku hybrids” or “yak hybrids”) in the horticultural literature. Rhododendron, (from Ancient Greek rhódon "rose" and déndron "tree") is a very large genus of 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). It is either evergreen or deciduous and found mainly in Asia, although it is also widespread throughout lowland and montane forests in the Pacific Northwest, California, the Northeastern United States, and especially in the highlands of the Appalachian Mountains of North America. It is the national flower of Nepal, the state flower of Washington and West Virginia in the United States, the state flower of Nagaland in India, the provincial flower of Jiangxi in China and the state tree of Sikkim and Uttarakhand in India. Most species have brightly colored flowers which bloom from late winter through to early summer. Azaleas make up two subgenera of Rhododendron. They are distinguished from "true" rhododendrons by having only five anthers per flower.