Rhododendrons with outstanding Foliage
for year-round interest
While most of the larger hybrid Rhododendrons have fairly standard green leaves, many of the species and some of the smaller hybrids have attractive and interesting foliage, giving year-round interest.
Silver, grey-blue, brown, variegated and red are all possible foliage colours.
| Indumentum
Some leaves have hairs called indumentum on the upper and or lower surface of the leaves. This attractive covering varys in colour from silver to white, fawn, rufous to dark brown. The indumentum is often particularly fine on the new growth as it unfurls.
Fine examples include R. bureavii and R. pachysanthum whose indumentum changes colour from white to fawn to deep reddish-brown. |
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Giant Leaves: R. falconeri & R. sinofalconeri R. sinogrande can be up to 1m (3ft) in length. Most species in SS Falconera and Grandia have spectacular larhe leaves. Click here to order Rhododendrons with outstanding foliage and select fine foliage in the last drop down box. |
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Rounded leaves:R. orbiculare and R. williamsianum Click here to order Rhododendrons with outstanding foliage and select fine foliage in the last drop down box. |
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Long and narrow leaves R. roxieanum, 'Graziela' (& Makinoi) Click here to order Rhododendrons with outstanding foliage and select fine foliage in the last drop down box. |
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Grey-blue leaves:
Some forms of R. cinnabarinum and R. lepidostylum, R. oreotrephes 'Bluecalytus', R. aeruginosum, R. clementinae. Dwarfs: R. fastigiatum, 'Intrifast'
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Variegated leaves: ‘Red and Gold', ‘Molten Gold’ and ‘Girard’s Hotshot Variegated’. Click here to order Rhododendrons with outstanding foliage and select fine foliage in the last drop down box.
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Red Leaves New Glendoick cultivars: Everred ['85/1C'], Wine and Roses ['pinkros']
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The new/young growth of rhododendrons is very variable and often very showy, almost as good as a second flowering.
Species with coloured new growth include forms of R. lutescens (both red) and R. decorum and R. williamsianum (bronzy). |
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Other species have showy red leaf buds scales (which protect the resting buds through the winter) which are displayed as the new leaves unfurl. Good examples are R. fortunei and R. falconeri. Click here to order Rhododendrons with outstanding foliage
any Scented Fine Foliage and select fine foliage in the last drop down box.
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| Many species have outstanding peeling or smooth, coloured bark. Some of the finest include R. thomsonii, R. faucium and R. hodgsonii. | Click her to order Rhododendrons with outstanding foliage |
