Herb latin name: Rhododendron lutescens


Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
3 m
(9 3/4 foot)

Flowering:
March
to April

Habitat of Rhododendron lutescens:

Hillsides, scrub, hedges and forest edges, 1750 - 3000 metres. Thickets and wood margins fully exposed to the sun, 2000 - 2800 metres.

Other uses of the herb:

Plants are being grown as a medium-sized hedge at Wisley, RHS gardens in Surrey.

Propagation of Rhododendron lutescens:

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the autumn and given artificial light. Alternatively sow the seed in a lightly shaded part of the warm greenhouse in late winter or in a cold greenhouse in April. Surface-sow the seed and do not allow the compost to become dry. Pot up the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a greenhouse for at least the first winter. Layering in late July. Takes 15 - 24 months. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, August in a frame. Difficult.

Cultivation of the herb:

Hillsides, scrub, hedges and forest edges, 1750 - 3000 metres. Thickets and wood margins fully exposed to the sun, 2000 - 2800 metres.

Medicinal use of Rhododendron lutescens:

None known

Known hazards of Rhododendron lutescens:

Although no specific mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, it belongs to a genus where many members have poisonous leaves. The pollen of many if not all species of rhododendrons is also probably toxic, being said to cause intoxication when eaten in large quantities.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.