Rhododendron brachycarpum var. Tigerstedtii open-pollinated - Shrub,Web page Navigation - Tigerstedt Rhododendron Page

Introducing the Rhododendron brachycarpum var. Tigerstedtii, also known as the Tigerstedt Rhododendron. This stunning plant is well known for its extreme cold hardiness, making it a perfect addition to your garden in areas with harsh winter conditions. Its beautiful foliage features shiny, dark green leaves that almost appear tropical in nature. The small, white to pale rose flowers bloom in late season, often with brownish-green spots in lines. This slow-to-flower plant is compact and rounded when young, growing into a 4-8 foot tall shrub in ten years. Native to central and southern Korea, Dagelet Island, the Kuril Islands, and mountainous regions of northern and central Japan, the Tigerstedt Rhododendron withstands wind and dry soil better than most other rhododendrons. Notably, this species curls its leaves at the first sight of colder temperatures, passing this survival technique onto its progeny. Variety tigerstedtii itself has withstood temperatures as low as -49°F at the Mustila Arboretum in Finland, making it an excellent choice for gardens in frost-prone areas. Rhododendron brachycarpum var. Tigerstedtii is also known for being an excellent transmitter of extreme frost hardiness, making it a popular choice for breeding, adaptation and frost tolerance testing. Its most frost-hardy recombinations are obtained from crossings with R. smirnowii, R. metternichii, and some forms of R. catawbiense. If you're looking for a beautiful, vigorous plant that is extremely well adapted to withstand harsh winter weather, look no further than the Tigerstedt Rhododendron.