Rhododendrons

Rhododendron yunnanense
Triflora subsection
Epithet: from Yunnan.
H3
AM 1903 Glasnevin (to the species),1943 Minterne (to the species as homophorum),AGM (1993) 2012 to the clone 'Openwood'.
Height: shrub to 4m.
10 year height/spread: 1.7m/1m.
Flowers: opening lavender with a paler centre which fades to white giving a picotee effect; olive spotting (the clone).
May.
Introduced: 1889 by Delavay from W. Yunnan.
Distribution: N. Burma, N & W. Yunnan, W. Sichuan, Guizhou, 2100-4000m.
Recognise by: usually bristly leaves, laxly scaly; less glaucous than rigidum
; can be hard to distinguish from other Triflora out of flower; flower colour; good rounded truss.
One of the freest flowering species from a young age; benefits from pruning.
Tolerant of drier sites and shade. The AGM form has wonderful flowers and should be in every collection.