Over rated Rhodo (Rhododendrons & Azaleas)

Member Name: trevorm50

Product:	Rhododendrons & Azaleas
Date:	19/05/01 (149 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Evergreen

Disadvantages: Acid loving, Slow, Boring

This plant is nice while it is in flower although the flowering period is short. It is evergreen but quite slow growing the invasive Rhododendron Ponticum is a pest and spreads via seed and suckers the cultivated hybrid types are a lot slower to grow. There are some nice compact dwarf types which really are dwarf and only make 2 to 3 foot of growth. I would give this plant a miss as there are better evergreen flowering shrubs than this around. The Rhododendrons like to be in an acid soil so unless you are on acid soil it is a waste of time. In my opinion as a grower of shrubs Rhodo's are over rated. The best way to display a smaller growing type is to plant it into an ericacious compost in a planting tub to displaty on the patio or somewhere. You can always underplant around the edge of the tub with pansies or other bedding. Try a mix of a central Rhodo in the tub and and low growing winter flowering golden foliage heathers around it, as the heathers are also acid lovers.

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