Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Rhododendron 'Dexter's Giant Red'
Dexter's Giant Red Rhododendron
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Height
- 3 to 5 ft
- Width
- 3 to 5 ft
- Flower color
- Purplish-red to bright red
- Foliage color
- Glossy dark green evergreen leaves
- Bloom time
- Mid to late spring
- Light
- Partial shade
- Water
- Moderate; remove spent flowers; prune lightly for shaping or to remove dead wood
- Maintenance
- Low; remove spent flower clusters after bloom; light pruning
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 5 to 8
- Wildlife
- Spring blooms attract bees and other pollinators; evergreen foliage provides cover and shelter for birds and small wildlife year-round
About this plant
Rhododendron 'Dexter's Giant Red' is an evergreen shrub with an upright, broad, rounded habit and substantial, glossy olive-green leaves. In mid to late spring, buds open strong purplish red and mature to a blend of red and deep rose tones. Each bloom has a very dark red blotch deep in the throat, and red spotting that extends across the upper petals for a full, glowing truss.
This cultivar comes from the famous breeding work of Charles O. Dexter at his estate in Sandwich, Massachusetts, where thousands of seedlings were raised between the 1920's and early 1940's. Its generous flower trusses, reliable late-spring bloom, and year-round evergreen presence make it a bold choice for woodland borders, large mixed shrub plantings, and prominent garden focal points.
Works well in
Shade Gardens · Borders · Cottage Gardens · Woodland Gardens
Companion plants
Pieris · Japanese forest grass · Brunnera · Viburnum · Trillium · Lungwort
Design tip
Allow ‘Dexter’s Giant Red’ to command attention within a mixed shrub planting rather than surrounding it with other strongly colored bloomers. Its intense red flowers benefit from quieter neighboring foliage, which gives the spring display room to stand out without appearing overly busy.
