Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Rhododendron rex ssp. fictolacteum
False Milky-yellow Rhododendron
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Height
- 10 to 30 ft
- Width
- 10 to 25 ft
- Flower color
- Creamy white to white (sometimes faintly pink-flushed) with a crimson blotch and spotting
- Foliage color
- Evergreen dark green leaves with cinnamon-brown to buff felted undersides
- Bloom time
- Late spring
- Light
- Part shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low to moderate; little pruning needed beyond removing spent flowers
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 7 to 9
- Wildlife
- Fragrant shows of spring flowers attract pollinators; evergreen foliage provides year-round cover and shelter for small wildlife
About this plant
Rhododendron rex ssp. fictolacteum is an evergreen rhododendron valued for bold, elongated leaves, deep green above, and a cinnamon-brown, feltlike coating underneath. In late spring, trusses of bell-shaped, creamy-white flowers open with a red basal blotch, creating a refined palette against the handsome foliage. The flowers sit in rounded clusters at the shoot tips and draw spring pollinators.
Native to high-elevation forests and thickets of southwestern China and Southeast Tibet, with records into northeast Myanmar, this subspecies entered cultivation through plant collecting and carries an RHS Award of Garden Merit. Impressive foliage, distinctive leaf undersides, and late-spring bloom suit woodland gardens and sheltered borders.
Works well in
Shade Gardens · Foundation Plantings · Cottage Gardens · Woodland Gardens
Companion plants
Daphne · Brunnera · Tiarella · Camellia · Bleeding heart · Hellebore
Design tip
Allow Rhododendron rex ssp. fictolacteum to become a commanding garden anchor, with smaller shrubs arranged nearby to emphasize its impressive scale. Finer-textured plants beneath its canopy will contrast with the bold foliage and keep the composition from appearing overly dense or heavy.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Heronswood Garden.
