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Key characteristics

Family: Ericaceae
Height: 4 to 6 ft
Width: 4 to 6 ft
Flower color: Lavender-pink to reddish-purple
Foliage color: Glossy, leathery dark green leaves that often take on a purplish-bronze tint in winter
Bloom time: Early to mid spring
Light: Part sun to part shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low to moderate; deadhead spent flowers and prune lightly
Growing zone: USDA zones 4 to 8
Wildlife: Spring flowers attract bees and other pollinators; evergreen structure offers shelter and cover for small birds and other garden wildlife

Shrubs

Rhododendron x 'PJM Elite'

PJM Elite Rhododendron

Rhododendron x 'PJM Elite' is a compact evergreen shrub with a rounded habit and small, glossy dark green leaves. In early to mid spring it carries rounded clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers in lavender-pink to rosy purple tones. The blooms show well against the foliage, and the leaves later develop reddish purple hues in fall and winter, adding color beyond the flowering season.

Bred at Weston Nurseries in Massachusetts as a selection within the PJM rhododendron group, 'PJM Elite' was introduced in the 1980s and is valued for cold hardiness and dependable performance.

Light

Part sun to part shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Early to mid spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Shade Gardens
Borders
Cottage Gardens
Woodland Gardens

Companion plants

Leucothoe · Yew · Viola · Astilbe · Hellebores · Ferns

Design tip

A loose row of ‘PJM Elite’ can divide adjoining garden areas without creating the rigid appearance of a formal hedge. Its dense, rounded growth provides enough definition to guide the eye while still blending naturally into surrounding shrub plantings.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)