Rhododendrons

Rhododendron sinogrande
Grandia subsection
Epithet: Chinese grande.
H3
AM 1922 South Lodge, Sussex, but this plant appears to be lost to cultivation;
FCC 1926 Trewithen; AGM (1993) 2012
Height: 6 - 20m.
10 year height/spread: 2m/3m.
Flowers: a racemose umbel of 15-30 ventricose flowers, cream to pale yellow
or rarely white.
Introduced: 1912 by Forrest from W Yunnan; recently collected (1981-).
Distribution: N&W Yunnan, Burma, SE Tibet, Arunachal Pradesh, 2100 - 3400m.
Recognise by: very large leaves to 90cm shining dark green with yellow midrib
and grey (sometimes pale fawn) indumentum.Blotched flowers never pure yellow.
In less suited climates flowers have fewer 'layers' and are smaller. Fairly
wind resistant for a big leaf but naturally requires some shelter.
Tender when young. Don't be put off planting this wonderful foliage
plant if you haven't got 20 hectares! May flower in 12 years from seed.