Rhododendrons

Rhododendron aequabile
Vireya Subgenus:
Albovireya Section
Epithet: uniform or consistent.
Introduced into cultivation: by Dr Willem Meijer in 1957.
Flowers: campanulate, 15-18 x 34-40mm, orange, without scent, tube 11-15 x 7-10 x 16-20mm.
Pedicels 10-14 x 2-3mm, orange, often curved, densely scaly with some long stalked scales but without hairs.
Jan - June
Foliage: elliptic, 40-90 x 20-40mm, 6-9 together in tight pseudowhorls at the upper two or three nodes, very
densely dark-brown persistently scaly beneath.
Large shrub or tree to 4m.
Distribution (2300 - 2870m):
Indonesia: Sumatra: West Coast to Benkulen.
In dense sub-alpine forest.
This species is one of the easiest of the albovireyas and has most attractive deep bronze new foliage.
Once mature, the flowers become more prominent and often give a wonderful display of colour.