- Rhododendron arboreum
Taxobox
name = "Rhododendron arboreum"
image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Rhododendron arboreum"
regnum =Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
ordo =Ericales
familia =Ericaceae
genus = "Rhododendron"
genus_authority = L.
subdivision_ranks = Subgenera
subdivision = "Vireya"
species = "arboreum"----Source: [http://www.rbge.org.uk RBG, Edinburgh]Rhododendron arboreum, Lali Gurans the national flower of
Nepal , is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a showy display of bright red flowers. It is also found inBhutan ,China ,India ,Sri Lanka andThailand .Description
Its name means ‘tending to be woody or growing in a tree-like form’. It has been recorded as reaching heights of up to 20 m [cite web | url = http://wildeel.com/rhodotree.html | title = Tree rhododendrons | publisher = Richard Francis | accessdate= 2008-07-29] , although more usually it has a height and spread up to 12m (36ft) x 12m (36ft).
In early- and mid-spring, trusses of 15-20 bell-shaped flowers, 5cm (2in) wide and 3-5cm (1.25-2in) long are produced in red, pink or white. They have black nectar pouches and black spots inside.
Cultivation
It prefers moist but well-drained, leafy, humus-rich, acid soil, in dappled shade. It has broad, dark green leaves, 7-19cm (3-7in) long, with a silvery, fawn or brown hairy coating beneath.
This plant is suitable for woodland gardens.
Variants
"Rhododendron arboreum subsp. cinnamomeum" has leaves with cinnamon-brown hairs beneath.
"Rhododendron arboreum subsp. cinnamomeum var. album" has white flowers with small blood red spots on the inner surface of the petals.
"Rhododendron arboreum subsp. delavayi" has red flowers.
"Rhododendron arboreum Sm. subsp. nilagiricum (Zenker) Tagg" is found in Tamil Nadu, India. [Chamberlain, D. F. 1982. A revision of Rhododendron II. Subgenus Hymenanthes. Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 39:331. [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?418076 "Rhododendron arboreum Sm. subsp. nilagiricum" (Zenker) Tagg] ]Threats
Rhododendrons are susceptible to vine
weevil , rhododendron and azalea whiteflies,leafhopper s,lacebug s, scale insects,caterpillar s,aphid s,powdery mildew ,bud blast ,honey fungus , rust, leafygall , petalblight ,silver leaf , phytophthora root rot and lime-inducedchlorosis . [The Royal Horticultural Society (2008) "RHS Garden Hyde HallPlant of the month: April", retrieved 2/19/2008 [http://www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/gardens/hydehall/archive/hydehallpom05apr.asp Gardens] ]Notes
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