We have recently published ‘Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions’: i.e. tropical and sub-tropical regions. We rely on regular donations to keep our free database going and help fund development of this and another book we are planning on food forest plants for Mediterranean climates. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Rhododendron arboreum - Sm.

Common Name
Family Ericaceae
USDA hardiness 6-9
Known Hazards The leaves are poisonous[51, 240]. The flowers can cause intoxication in large quantities[183].
Habitats Forests and shrubberies with Pieris ovalifolia and Quercus incana, 1500 - 3600 metres from Pakistan to S.E. Tibet in the Himalayas[51].
Range E. Asia - Himalayas to Sri Lanka.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Rhododendron arboreum


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rhododendron_arboreum.jpg
Rhododendron arboreum
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Marcus334

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Rhododendron arboreum is an evergreen Shrub growing to 12 m (39ft) by 3 m (9ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in leaf all year, in flower from April to May. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Secondary; Dappled Shade;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers  Leaves
Edible Uses:

The tender leaves are used as a cooked vegetable[105, 158, 183]. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Flowers - raw or cooked[272]. A sweet-sour taste, they are said to make a good sub-acid jelly[183]. Th flowers are sometimes simply pickled by adding salt and chili[272]. Caution is advised, large quantities can cause intoxication[2, 183].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Astringent  Dysentery  Poultice  Stomachic

The young leaves are astringent and poultice[158]. They are made into a pasteand then applied to the forehead in the treatment of headaches[240, 272]. The juice of the bark is used in the treatment of coughs, diarrhoea and dysentery[272]. A decoction of the flowers is used to check a tendency to vomit, especially if there is also a loss of appetite[272]. The juice of the flowers is used in the treatment of menstrual disorders[272]. The petals are eaten to assist the removal of any animal bones that have become stuck in the throat[262].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

Charcoal  Fuel  Repellent  Wood

The juice of the leaves is spread over cots and beds to get rid of bed lice[272]. Wood - soft, even grained, seasons badly. Used in turnery, it can also be used to make charcoal and for fuel[51, 158]. Th wood is much employed in Nepal where it is used for making household implements, building small houses and fences[272]. Planks of the wood are carved to make boxes, cupboards and other furniture[272]. It is a very good fuel, burning well with a long-lasting heat - overcollection of the wod for fuel, and also for making charcoal, has become a cause for conservation concern[272].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most humus rich lime free soils except those of a dry arid nature or heavy or clayey[1]. Prefers a peaty or well-drained sandy loam[1]. Succeeds in sun or shade, the warmer the climate the more shade a plant requires[200]. Requires a pH between 4.5 and 5.5[200]. Hardy to between -10 and -15°c, the pink flowered form is hardier than the red[184]. Succeeds in a woodland though, because of its surface-rooting habit[200], it does not compete well with surface-rooting trees[1]. Plants need to be kept well weeded, they dislike other plants growing over or into their root system, in particular they grow badly with ground cover plants, herbaceous plants and heathers[200]. There are many named varieties selected for their ornamental value[200]. Plants form a root ball and are very tolerant of being transplanted, even when quite large, so long as the root ball is kept intact[200]. This plant is the national flower of Nepal[51]. The flowers are sold in local markets and used as offerings to the Gods and Godesses[272]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is not very hardy outdoors in much of Britain, but grows well in the milder areas of the country[1]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

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[200]. 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[78]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, August in a frame. Difficult[78].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: China (Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Xizang Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng) TROPICAL ASIA: Bhutan, India (Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal (north), Arunachal Pradesh), Nepal Bhutan, India (Sikkim, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal (north), Arunachal Pradesh), Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar (north), Thailand

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Rhododendron anthopogon Shrub0.6 6-9  LMSNM121
Rhododendron aureumRosebayShrub0.5 -  LMSNM02 
Rhododendron campanulatum Shrub4.5 4-8  LMSNM012
Rhododendron ferrugineumAlpenroseShrub1.5 4-8  LMSNM013
Rhododendron griersonianum Shrub3.0 7-10  LMHSNM003
Rhododendron indicumRhododendronShrub2.0 5-9  LMSM103
Rhododendron japonicumJapanese azaleaShrub2.0 4-8  LMSNM11 
Rhododendron kaempferi Shrub2.5 4-8  LMSM103
Rhododendron lapponicumLapland RosebayShrub1.0 -  LMSNM10 
Rhododendron lutescens Shrub3.0 6-9  LMSNM002
Rhododendron luteumHoneysuckle AzaleaShrub2.5 4-8  LMSM002
Rhododendron maximumRosebay Rhododendron, Great laurelShrub3.5 3-7  LMSM012
Rhododendron molleChinese AzaleaShrub2.5 6-9  LMSM011
Rhododendron mucronulatum Shrub2.5 4-8  LMSNM10 
Rhododendron periclymenoidesPink azalea, Pinxter flowerShrub2.0 4-8 MLMHFSNDM102
Rhododendron 'PJM' Shrub3.0 -  LMSNM00 
Rhododendron ponticumRhododendronShrub5.0 6-9  LMSM012
Rhododendron x praecox Shrub1.5 5-9  LMSNM003

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Sm.

Botanical References

1151200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

annynmous   Tue Jun 7 01:35:48 2005

It can grow to 6 ft tall

jyoti   Tue May 13 2008

is the juice of flower of rhododendron arboreum cardiotonic

shailendra   Fri Nov 27 2009

dont know more

Dev. Khurana   Fri Dec 4 2009

The squashes made from the flowers of rhodendron have cooling effect when taken diluted during summer.

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Rhododendron arboreum  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.