Rhododendron 'GUNTER DINGER'

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.

Gunter Dinger is a unique rhododendron variety bred by Hans Hachmann in 1995. It was named in honour of the senior chief of Cologne’s garden centre Dinger’s. The flowers represent a very special colour combination never seen so far. The petal margins are deep violet blue, from the flower centre expands an almost white star emphasized by thin, horizontal, purple red lines, and the upper lip is decorated with deep wine red, almost black blotch. Flowering begins late – from end May until early June. Evergreen leaves are matt, elliptic, deep green. Gunter Dinger rhododendron grows wider than tall, about 1.2m tall and 1.4m wide in about 10 years.

For a better looking plant dead-head where possible. 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 leave-mould. Hardy to min. -24°C (USDA zone 6) but it is expected to take stronger frost.

Last update 26-08-2014