And here it is: Dandy Man® Pink Rhododendron. This R. hyperythrum hybrid is attractive, too, with an attractive habit and enticing pink flowers.
Dandy Man® Pink Rhododendron |
Rhododendron...or azalea? It's complicated.
The easy answer would be something along the lines of that infamous Supreme Court ruling re: pornography: "I know it when I see it." But that's hard to implement in a legal system, and it's just as difficult to use in botany.
For a good description for either subject one needs a very precise description:
"True rhododendrons have 10 or more stamens which is 2 per lobe. Azaleas usually have 5 stamens or 1 per lobe. Azaleas have 5 lobes in a flower.
Azaleas tend to have appressed hairs which is hair parallel to the surface of the leaf. This is particularly true along the midrib on the underside of the leaf. It is easily seen in "evergreen" azaleas. True rhododendrons instead of hair are often scaly or have small dots on the under side of the leaf. Azalea leaves are never dotted with scales and are frequently pubescent."
- New York Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society
Trust me that a detailed explanation of plant taxonomy is less disturbing that that of pornography. If you need a refresher on flower anatomy, here's a good one. The other, well, you're on your own.
If you'd like something a little hardier, consider Dandy Man® Purple rhododendron, which goes into USDA Zone 4. It, too, grows 4-8' tall and wide as does the newest Dandy, Dandy Man Color Wheel®. All of these plants will grow in full sun or partial shade.
Dandy Man Color Wheel® Rhododendron |
Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles