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Key characteristics

Family: Ericaceae
Height: 2 to 8 ft
Width: 3 to 8 ft
Flower color: Pale pink-to-white flowers, sometimes with subtle red spotting
Foliage color: Evergreen leaves; dark green ever on top with soft, felt-like undersides
Bloom time: Mid spring
Light: Full sun to part shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low; requires minimal pruning beyond removing spent blooms and shaping
Growing zone: USDA zones 6a to 9b
Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other pollinators; evergreen foliage provides shelter for birds

Shrubs

Rhododendron degronianum

Degronianum Rhododendron

Rhododendron degronianum is an evergreen rhododendron with thick, dark green leaves that are often felted beneath with a pale to tawny covering. New growth may show a lighter, woolly sheen before maturing. In late spring into early summer, rounded trusses of funnel- to bell-shaped flowers open soft pink and may pale toward white as they age, floating above the foliage.

Native to Japan, it grows in mountain forests and subalpine areas.

Light

Full sun to part shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Mid spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Shade Gardens
Foundation Plantings
Cottage Gardens
Woodland Gardens

Companion plants

Yew · Astilbe · Ajuga · Sweet box · Anemone · Oregon grape

Design tip

Allow Rhododendron degronianum enough space for its distinctive foliage to remain visible. Pairing its substantial evergreen form with finer-textured plants nearby emphasizes the contrast and keeps a shaded planting visually engaging between flowering seasons.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)