1 / 4

Key characteristics

Family: Ericaceae
Height: 4 to 5 ft
Width: 4 to 5 ft
Flower color: Lavender-blue to misty blue
Foliage color: Evergreen leaves; glossy dark green
Bloom time: Mid-spring (typically April)
Light: Partial shade to filtered sun
Water: Regular
Maintenance: Low to moderate; remove spent flower trusses after bloom; avoid heavy root disturbance
Growing zone: USDA zones 6b to 9b
Wildlife: Spring flowers attract bees and other pollinators; evergreen foliage offers shelter and cover for birds and small wildlife

Shrubs

Rhododendron 'Blaney's Blue'

Blaney's Blue Rhododendron

Rhododendron 'Blaney's Blue' is a broadleaf evergreen shrub with dense foliage and soft-toned flowers. Medium green leaves form a rounded framework that takes on a bronze flush in winter. In mid-spring, rounded trusses of funnel-shaped blooms open in misty lavender-blue to bluish purple shades, covering the plant in color.

Hybridized by Dr. L. T. Blaney at Oregon State University, 'Blaney's Blue' was introduced after trials at the North Willamette Experiment Station.

Light

Partial shade to filtered sun

Water

Regular

Bloom time

Mid-spring (typically April)

Find this plant

Works well in

Shade Gardens
Borders
Native Gardens
Woodland Gardens

Companion plants

Pieris · Hakone grass · Bamboo · Viburnum · Snowdrop · Bergenia

Design tip

‘Blaney’s Blue’ is a lovely way to introduce cooler color into a shade garden dominated by pink, red, or white flowers. Its misty blue-lavender blooms can soften stronger colors nearby, while the rounded evergreen shape gives the planting structure after the spring display has finished.