Rhododendron catawbiense /ro.doˈdɛn.drɔn/
Common name: Catawba rhododendron · Mountain rosebay
Rhododendron catawbiense is an evergreen shrub native to the southern Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States, where it grows on mountain slopes and ridges from Virginia to Georgia and Alabama. It forms a dense, rounded bush up to about 4 m tall with leathery, dark green leaves and large trusses of lilac-purple, funnel-shaped flowers in late spring. It is prized in gardens for its exceptional cold hardiness and has been used extensively in hybridizing to produce many of the hardy rhododendron cultivars grown today.
Care summary
Sun
Partial shade; tolerates full sun if kept moist
Water
Evenly moist; never waterlogged or dry for long
Soil
Acidic, humus-rich, well-drained
Hardiness
Zones 4–8
Mature height
About 180–400 cm (6–13 ft)
Pet safe
No — all parts toxic to pets and humans
Difficulty
Moderate
Propagation
Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer, wound the base lightly, dip in rooting hormone, and root them in a moist acidic mix under high humidity; rooting is slow and can take several months. Simple layering of low branches is a slower but more reliable alternative.
Fun facts
- It is one of the most cold-hardy rhododendron species, surviving temperatures down to about −30 °C (−20 °F).
- In cold weather its leaves curl and droop, a visible signal of freezing temperatures and reduced water loss.
- Its name honors the Catawba River region of North Carolina, near where it was first described.
- It is a parent of countless garden hybrids, including many of the famous 'Catawbiense' ironclad hybrids bred in the 19th century.