Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Rhododendron 'Percy Wiseman'
Percy Wiseman Rhododendron
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Height
- 3 to 4 ft
- Width
- 4 to 6 ft
- Flower color
- Flowers open as pink to peachy-pink or apricot-pink buds, then creamy-pink/apricot blossoms
- Foliage color
- Evergreen, dark green leaves
- Bloom time
- Mid to late spring (May)
- Light
- Part sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low to moderate; deadhead spent flowers and prune lightly
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 5 to 9
- Wildlife
- Spring flowers attract pollinators; evergreen structure offers shelter and cover for small birds and other garden wildlife
About this plant
Rhododendron 'Percy Wiseman' is a compact evergreen shrub with glossy dark green leaves and a rounded, well-branched habit. In mid to late spring, it produces large trusses of flowers that open in shades of peach-pink, apricot, or soft yellow, then gradually fade to creamy blush-pink with a light yellow throat. Blossoms appear in generous clusters, creating a warm, shifting display from bud through full bloom.
This cultivar is a yakushimanum-group hybrid introduced in 1958 and later celebrated with the Award of Garden Merit. Its moderate size, floriferous spring show, and evergreen foliage make it well suited for woodland borders, foundation plantings, woodland-edge beds, or smaller garden spaces where it offers early-season interest.
Works well in
Shade Gardens · Borders · Containers · Woodland Gardens
Companion plants
Hydrangea · Viburnum · Pulmonaria · Japanese forest grass · Wood sorrel · Epimedium
Design tip
Showcase ‘Percy Wiseman’ where its changing flower colors can be viewed at close range, such as beside a walkway or entry. Its broad, rounded form can fill the middle layer of a planting, linking low perennials with taller shrubs behind it.
