Herb latin name: Rhododendron x praecox


Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
April
to May

Habitat of Rhododendron x praecox:

Not known in the wild.

Other uses of the herb:

Tolerant of trimming, plants can be grown as a hedge.

Propagation of Rhododendron x praecox:

Seed - this is a hybrid species and the seed will not breed true. It is 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:

Not known in the wild.

Medicinal use of Rhododendron x praecox:

None known

Known hazards of Rhododendron x praecox:

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.