Rhododendron cinnabarinum 'WASGAU'

Red cinnabar rhododendron is a unique species found around Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, to southeast China. Its flowers are campanulate and the leaves smell by camphor and cinnamon. Nectar of its flowers is supposedly the most poisonous of all rhododendrons. Hardiness of its subspecies is still under trials and thanks to its home regions where temperatures may drop dramatically during one day it is expected to live well in milder parts of northern hemisphere.

Wasgau is a fascinating variety of red cinnabar rhododendron. It was bred by Karl Heger in 1984 as a cross between (r.ambiguum x r.cinnabarinum ssp. xanthocodon) x r.cinnabarinum ssp. xanthocodon. Its flowers are shaped into slim trumpets, and are pure yellow when they emerge, changing to golden orange at its peak, and gaining cinnabar red when they fade. This truly fantastic play of colours is magnified by the fact that they open very early when buds of most other rhododendrons only begin to swell. Evergreen leaves are small, leathery, elliptic, deep green and glossy, and fragrant when crushed. It grows moderately forming a mid-sized shrub of about a meter tall and wide. In full sun or only partial shade it will produce more flowers of richer colour and grow into a dense habit.

Rhododendron 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. Fully hardy to abt. -30°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 03-05-2015