Rhododendron PJM ELITE

Crossing between: R. carolinianum and R. dauricum var. sempervirens.

Rhododendron P.J.M. ‘Elite’ prefers rich to more or less rich, peaty, very acidic, cool and well-drained to slightly moist soil and light shade or partial shade. Install this plant in a soil pH between 4.5 to 6. If you install this plant in full sun, the foliage may burn at the edges. Yellowing of leaves can also be due to limestone soil or too deep planting. This plant does not tolerate having its feet in water for too long a period, to be absolutely avoided, otherwise the roots will rot and the plant will die. On the other hand, the soil must not be allowed to dry out and the installation of a good layer of mulch at the base of the plants is very favorable to it.

The Rhododendron Genus actually contains 3 subgenera:

Eurodendrons, also called 'True Rhododendrons', are evergreen plants whose flowers can be grouped or solitary. Several hybrids are available on the market from a mixture of Rhododendron Catawbiense, Rhododendron Griffithianum and Rhododendron Ponticum.

Anthodendrons, or azaleas, have deciduous leaves and their flowers are generally grouped together. Several hybrids are available on the market from a mixture of Rhododendron Kaempferi, Rododendron Canescens and Knapp Hill and Exbury type azaleas.

Azaleodendrons are semi-evergreen leaves. In the genus Rhododendron, we find more than 1000 species and cultivars and this plant has lived on earth for around 50 million years and around 30,000 hybrids are recorded. In some areas of the world, some varieties are said to reach over 60′ in height.

Rhododendron P.J.M. ‘Elite’ is a plant with semi-evergreen foliage, glossy dark green, then purple in the fall. The flowers are pink. The flowers of true Rhododendrons have 10 stamens and the flowers of true Azaleas have 5 stamens. Remove faded flowers after flowering to encourage the development of foliage and prune the shrub if necessary at the same time. It is strongly recommended to ensure that you install this plant in the correct hardiness zone, otherwise it will need to be properly protected during the winter season in zone 3 and 4. The flower buds are present in the fall on the plants and are very fragile to frost during the winter season. Avoid installing this plant in a wind corridor during the winter. The hardiness of different cultivars varies greatly, generally between 3b to 5b, always be vigilant before installing them in your garden. The micro climates (garden corners where the hardiness zone is higher) in our Quebec gardens are often privileged spaces for this extraordinary plant. Never water this plant with hard water, this quickly causes chlorosis and a halt to vegetation.

This plant is susceptible to many insects and diseases, but if you establish this plant in good growing conditions, you will greatly limit problems.

The generic name comes from the Greek rhodo meaning “rose or red rose” and dendron, “a tree”.

The majority of the different species that are used for the creation of the numerous hybrids are native to the Himalayas and China, but some species also come from North America, in fact Rhododendrons are found on all continents.

Plant height: 150cm and above
Plant width: 125cm and more