Rhododendrons

Rhododendron hodgsonii
Falconera subsection
Epithet: after B.Hodgson, former East India Company resident in Nepal.
AM 1964 Windsor to a clone 'Poet's Lawn'
H4
Height: 3 - 12m
10 year height/spread: 2m/3m
Flowers: Magenta to purple to pink to cherry red.
May fade to a magenta shade.
Introduced: 1848 Hooker from Sikkim.
Recollected many times recently.
Distribution: Nepal through W.Arunachal Pradesh and S.Tibet
Recognise by: brown flaking bark, mica-like white patches of indumentum on upper leaves. Petiole
not winged. Pointed growth buds.
Anecdotes: Recent introductions may have flowers of a cleaner pink. Hardy.