Rhododendrons

Rhododendron vaseyi

Subgenus Pentanthera Section Rhodora

Species deciduous azalea

Epithet: After G R Vasey who discovered this species in North Carolina in 1878

AGM 1993, 2012

AM 1969 (Exbury) 'Suva' light rose flowers with reddish brown spots

H5

A small to medium sized shrub 1.5-5.5m

Flowers: Trusses of 4-8 rotate-campanulate, single flowers opening before the leaves. Flowers are 25-30mm long × 35-38mm wide; light rose or pale pink, with orange or red-brown spotting; 2-lipped, with the lower 2 lobes spreading and the upper 3 lobes less divided; 5-7 stamens

April-May

Not scented

Foliage: Dark green leaves with a paler underside; elliptic to obovate; 23-170mm long × 8-55mm wide, apex acuminate; upper surface glabrous; margin strigose. Good autumn leaf colour. Deciduous

Distribution: North and South Carolina 900-1830m

Other information Easily grown in moist situations; young plants may need protection during the winter; commercially available

A white form R. vaseyi f album is known; epithet with white flowers

A selected form is R. vaseyi ‘White Find’

Number 51 of the Top 100 Rhododendrons chosen by members of the RCM Group in 2015