1 / 5

Key characteristics

Family: Ericaceae
Height: 10 to 15 ft
Width: 8 to 12 ft
Flower color: Clear white with a soft yellow to pale green throat and spotting
Foliage color: Evergreen, medium to dark green leaves
Bloom time: Mid to late spring
Light: Partial shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low to moderate; prune lightly after bloom to remove dead wood
Growing zone: USDA zones 7 to 9
Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other pollinators; dense evergreen structure provides shelter and cover for birds and small wildlife

Shrubs

Rhododendron augustinii ssp. hardyii

White Augustine's Rhododendron

Rhododendron augustinii ssp. hardyii is an evergreen shrub with a loose, upright habit and narrow, glossy green leaves that give it a refined appearance. In mid to late spring, it produces trusses of open, funnel-shaped flowers that are clear white, marked by a soft yellow to pale green throat with delicate spotting, adding subtle detail without altering the clean white presentation seen from a distance.

Light

Partial shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Mid to late spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Shade Gardens
Foundation Plantings
Cottage Gardens
Woodland Gardens

Companion plants

Leucothoe · Solomon’s seal · Bergenia · Japanese plum yew · Hosta · Snowdrops

Design tip

White Augustine’s rhododendron can help brighten the taller, back layers of a woodland garden, where its loose branching keeps a large shrub from looking too heavy. The white spring flowers also show up beautifully against the deeper greens of surrounding trees and evergreens.