1 / 4

Key characteristics

Family: Ericaceae
Height: 5 to 8 ft
Width: 5 to 8 ft
Flower color: White, rose pink, or lilac, sometimes with red flecks on the upper petals
Foliage color: Evergreen leaves, young growth brownish, maturing to dark green
Bloom time: Mid to late spring
Light: Part shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low; little pruning needed
Growing zone: USDA zones 7 to 9
Wildlife: Fragrant shows of spring flowers attract pollinators; evergreen foliage provides year-round cover and shelter for small wildlife

Shrubs

Rhododendron rigidum

Rigid Rhododendron

Rhododendron rigidum is an evergreen shrub with narrow, elliptic leaves that emerge brownish, then mature to dark green, often showing sparse yellow-brown scales on the undersides. In mid to late spring, it produces loose tip clusters of widely funnel-shaped, often lightly fragrant flowers in shades ranging from white through rose-pink to lilac, sometimes with red flecks on the upper petals.

Native to southwest China (including Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou), this species was first published in 1886.

Light

Part 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

Sarcococca · Rodgersia · Cyclamen · Fatsia · Lungwort · Primrose

Design tip

Contrast Rhododendron rigidum with broader-leaved evergreens so its narrow foliage and airy branching remain distinct within a layered planting. A nearby path offers a closer view of its delicate spring flowers while making their light fragrance easier to appreciate.