Rhododendron (keiskei) 'PRINCESS ANNE'

Rhododendrons are reliable, beautifully flowering, evergreen shrubs of variable origin: S.W. China, Himalayas, Northern America, and even Europe. The original species were hybridized several times for better performance so in the 1950´s there were more than 10,000 cultivars registered, and the number keeps increasing.

Princess Anne is a dwarf rhododendron, a cross between r.keiskei and r.hanceanum, with small, funnel-shaped, pale yellow flowers in mid spring. Evergreen leaves are oval, leathery, olive green in summer and bronze in winter and when they emerge. It is a dwarf plant but not ground-covering – mature plants are about 1m tall and a little more wide so expect a small specimen plant.

The roots are shallow, spreading to sides in search for nutrients. Never plant them too deep. The soil has to be acidic (pH 4.5-5.5), rich in humus, cool and always moist. Ideal soil mixture is peat with lime-free, light garden soil topped with leaf-mould. Hardy to about -24°C (USDA zone 6).

Last update 14-02-2013