Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Rhododendron orbiculare
Round-leaved Rhododendron
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Height
- 4 to 6 ft
- Width
- 4 to 6 ft
- Flower color
- Rose-pink to pink blooms in loose trusses
- Foliage color
- Evergreen deep green rounded to broadly oval leaves
- Bloom time
- Mid to late spring
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low to moderate; little pruning needed beyond removing spent flowers
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 7a to 10b
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees and other pollinators; evergreen foliage provides shelter and cover for birds and small wildlife
About this plant
Rhododendron orbiculare is an evergreen species with large, rounded leaves, and a smooth, leathery surface. In mid to late spring, it produces loose trusses of bell-shaped flowers in soft pink to rose shades, often with darker spotting or markings in the throat. The blooms appear just above the foliage, adding seasonal interest as the garden moves toward early summer.
Native to southwestern China, Rhododendron orbiculare occurs naturally in forest margins and open woodland at higher elevations. The combination of rounded leaves, spring flowering, and evergreen structure makes it well suited to woodland gardens, sheltered borders, and specimen plantings where leaf form is appreciated year-round.
Works well in
Sun Gardens · Foundation Plantings · Cottage Gardens · Woodland Gardens
Companion plants
Irises · Peruvian lily · Aster · Pampas grass · Stonecrop · Fothergilla
Design tip
Contrast Rhododendron orbiculare with finer-leaved shrubs or perennials so its unusually rounded foliage becomes a stronger part of the garden composition. Its substantial evergreen form can anchor surrounding plants year-round, even when the spring flowers are no longer the main attraction.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden.
