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Key characteristics

Family: Ericaceae
Height: 4 to 6 ft
Width: 4 to 6 ft
Flower color: Rose-pink to pink blooms in loose trusses
Foliage color: Evergreen deep green rounded to broadly oval leaves
Bloom time: Mid to late spring
Light: Full sun to part shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low to moderate; little pruning needed beyond removing spent flowers
Growing zone: USDA zones 7a to 10b
Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other pollinators; evergreen foliage provides shelter and cover for birds and small wildlife

Shrubs

Rhododendron orbiculare

Round-leaved Rhododendron

Rhododendron orbiculare is an evergreen species with large, rounded leaves, and a smooth, leathery surface. In mid to late spring, it produces loose trusses of bell-shaped flowers in soft pink to rose shades, often with darker spotting or markings in the throat. The blooms appear just above the foliage, adding seasonal interest as the garden moves toward early summer.

Native to southwestern China, Rhododendron orbiculare occurs naturally in forest margins and open woodland at higher elevations.

Light

Full sun to part shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Mid to late spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Foundation Plantings
Cottage Gardens
Woodland Gardens

Companion plants

Irises · Peruvian lily · Aster · Pampas grass · Stonecrop · Fothergilla

Design tip

Contrast Rhododendron orbiculare with finer-leaved shrubs or perennials so its unusually rounded foliage becomes a stronger part of the garden composition. Its substantial evergreen form can anchor surrounding plants year-round, even when the spring flowers are no longer the main attraction.