Rhododendron 'MINAS SNOW'

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.

Minas Snow is an excellent white flowering rhododendron variety from Canada from 1966. It makes pure white, gently frilled flowers with inconspicuous pale beige stigma in the throat. Being crossed with a yaku-hybrid it has very handsome leaves, and exhibits a more compact growth than its other parent (Cunningham's White). Evergreen leaves are leathery, narrowly elliptic, slightly convex with a prominent midrib. They are glossy and green on the upper side, and covered with light brown to rusty brown, suede-like indumentum on the reverse. Minas Snow forms a compact and dense, spreading shrub.

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. It is hardy to min. -27°C (USDA zone 5b) but it is expected to take a few degrees lower.

Last update 30-01-2017