Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Ericaceae

Genus:

Rhododendron

Species:

Rhododendron canescens

USDA Symbol:

RHCA7

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

450 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

pink, white

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

butterflies, hummingbirds, bees

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire. Found in fire-maintained longleaf pine ecosystems.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, well-drained acidic soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.0 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers organic-rich environments

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination. Surface sow on moist medium and do not cover.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI