Rhododendron
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Ericales Family: Ericaceae Genus: Rhododendron
Subgenera
Azaleastrum Candidastrum Hymenanthes Mumeazalea Pentanthera Rhododendron Therorhodion Tsutsusi Source: RBG, Edinburgh (http://www.rbge.org.uk)

Rhododendron is a genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. This is such a large genus that the plants are organised by subgenus, section, subsection and alliance.

These subgenera can be basically divided into four groups:

• large leaf or elepidotes (without scales on the underside of their leaves)
• small leaf or lepidotes (with scales on the underside of their leaves)
• evergreen azaleas
• deciduous azaleas.

Rhododendron is a very widely distributed genus, but concentrations occur in North America and Asia. They grow well in acid soil[?], and are noted for their many clusters of large trumpet-shaped blooms and their glossy oval leaves. Most rhododendrons flower for only a brief period each year, but during that time they provide a stunning display of massed colour.

The Rhododendron is the State Flower[?] of Washington.

There are many hybrid varieties of Rhododendron. These have been bred to have larger or smaller flowers, and a vast array of petal colours.

Rhododendrons have toxic pollen and nectar, and people have been known to die from eating honey made by bees feeding on rhododendron and azalea flowers.

• Rhododendron 'President Roosevelt'

See also: azalea

External Links

• Henning's Rhododendron & Azaleas Pages (http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhody.html)