Mountain Rosebay Rhododendron catawbiense
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- rho-doh-DEN-dron kah-taw-bee-EN-say
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Catawba Rhododendron, is a large broadleaf evergreen, rounded to spreading, multi-stemmed shrub that often form dense thickets in the blueberry family. It is native to the woodland slopes and ridges in the eastern U.S. along the Appalachian Mountain range, spedically in the Catawba region in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It typically grows from 6-10’ feet tall sometimes reaching heights of up to 20’ feet becoming sparse and rangy when grown in unfavorable conditions. Its large flower buds appear before flowering and burst forth with showy pink to light purple flowers in the late spring to early summer. The bark is gray-brown and becomes scaly as it matures. It is often used as a handsome, leathery, broadleaf evergreen, as a specimen plant, in mass planting, or occasionally in hedges.
Plant this shrub in the partial shade in acidic, rich, well-drained but moist soils, adding acidifying amendments if your soil test indicates it. If your soil is neutral or alkaline, additional applications of acidfiers annually will likely be necessary. The root system is shallow to annual mulching will help retain moisture and keep soil temperatures even. It is important not to let the soil dry out completely or this will damage the roots. While it handles morning sun does need protection from harsh afternoon rays and wind. It does tolerate almost full shade conditions. Being from the mountain regions, it prefers cooler temperatures in the summer.
The genus name Rhododendron derives from the Greek words rhodo which means rose and dendron meaning tree.
Fire Risk: This plant has a high flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Rhododendrons are susceptible to insect and disease problems. Insect problems include aphids, borers, lacebugs, leafhoppers, mealybugs, mites, nematodes, scale, thrips, and whitefly. Diseases include canker, crown rot, root rot, leaf spot, rust, and powdery mildew. Full sun can scorch the leaves and the roots rot if the soil does not drain well. This plant is frequently damaged by deer.
Quick ID Hints:
- Long, leathery leaves, in tiers, congested at branch tips
- Large,5-lobed bell-shaped flowers with maculations
- Terminal clusters of flowers in a raceme
- Evergreen shrub, tiered, sympodial growth
- Juvenile twigs yellowish
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Boursault'
- 'Purpureum Elegans'
Attractive glossy green leaves and lavender flowers that appear in late spring - 'Boursault'
- 'Boursault', 'Purpureum Elegans', 'Roseum Elegans'
- Tags:









- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Boursault'
- 'Purpureum Elegans'
Attractive glossy green leaves and lavender flowers that appear in late spring - 'Boursault'
- 'Boursault', 'Purpureum Elegans', 'Roseum Elegans'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Rhododendron
- Species:
- catawbiense
- Family:
- Ericaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Appalachian mountains
- Distribution:
- Southern Appalachian mountains, from Virginia through Georgia
- Fire Risk Rating:
- high flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- It provides winter cover. Nectar from flowers attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Members of the genus Rhododendron support the following specialized bee: Andrena (Andrena) cornelli.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8b, 8a
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Dry seed capsules 1/2"-1” long mature in fall and have 5 valves. Displays from July to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Funnel
- Flower Description:
- Funnelform-campanulate lavender-pink flowers that have green to yellow-brown throat markings. The flowers bloom mid to late spring in compact showy terminal clusters (racemes), each containing 15-20 flowers. Upper corolla lobes are near throat with faint green or yellow-brown maculation. Calyx has 5 lobes. Flowers bloom from April to June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Large, leathery, simple, alternate, coriaceous, broadly elliptic to oblong, obtuse and mucronulate, rotund, entire, glossy, dark green leaves (to 3-6” long) with smooth or toothed margins. It may develop yellow-green winter color. Undersides of leaves are light green and the leaves are glabrous when they mature.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Scaly
- Bark Description:
- Gray-brown bark; develops fine scales with age
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are yellowish green and mature to brown. They are glabrous and have sympodial growth. Buds of flowers are large and acute and have yellowish-green scales.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Houseplants
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Specialized Bees
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- Salivation, watering of eyes and nose, abdominal pain, loss of energy, depression, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, cardiac failure, difficult breathing, progressive paralysis of arms and legs, coma.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Andromedotoxin, Grayantoxin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Seeds
- Stems