Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Rhododendron x 'PJM Elite'
PJM Elite Rhododendron
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Height
- 4 to 6 ft
- Width
- 4 to 6 ft
- Flower color
- Lavender-pink to reddish-purple
- Foliage color
- Glossy, leathery dark green leaves that often take on a purplish-bronze tint in winter
- Bloom time
- Early to mid spring
- Light
- Part sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low to moderate; deadhead spent flowers and prune lightly
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 8
- Wildlife
- Spring flowers attract bees and other pollinators; evergreen structure offers shelter and cover for small birds and other garden wildlife
About this plant
Rhododendron x 'PJM Elite' is a compact evergreen shrub with a rounded habit and small, glossy dark green leaves. In early to mid spring it carries rounded clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers in lavender-pink to rosy purple tones. The blooms show well against the foliage, and the leaves later develop reddish purple hues in fall and winter, adding color beyond the flowering season.
Bred at Weston Nurseries in Massachusetts as a selection within the PJM rhododendron group, 'PJM Elite' was introduced in the 1980s and is valued for cold hardiness and dependable performance. Its dense branching, abundant spring flowers, and cool-season foliage color suit planting as a low hedge, in groups, or as an accent shrub in partially shaded gardens.
Works well in
Shade Gardens · Borders · Cottage Gardens · Woodland Gardens
Companion plants
Leucothoe · Yew · Viola · Astilbe · Hellebores · Ferns
Design tip
A loose row of ‘PJM Elite’ can divide adjoining garden areas without creating the rigid appearance of a formal hedge. Its dense, rounded growth provides enough definition to guide the eye while still blending naturally into surrounding shrub plantings.
