A page of stock pictures of rhododendrons. Rhododendron is a widely varied genus of around 800 species of evergreen and deciduous shrubs and trees. All but a few of the tropical species occur in the Northern Hemisphere, where they have a wide distribution. In cultivation rhododendrons are divided into four main groups: species and their cultivars, "true" rhododendron hybrids, deciduous azaleas and evergreen azaleas. Our rhododendron pictures are divided into image categories based on those groups.
Rhododendron hybrids occur in a bewildering array, covering the whole spectrum of plant and flower size and flower colour. Many also have attractive foliage and bark. Flowering occurs from midwinter to early summer depending on the plant. A few have fragrant flowers but these tend to be more tender plants. The tropical Vireya rhododendrons are surprisingly cold tolerant, though they will not withstand repeated frosts. Rhododendrons, rhodos, rhodies or azaleas, call them what you will, they're all beautiful plants.
Click on a thumbnail image below to view the pictures in that rhododendron photo category.
The wild Rhododendron species and their cultivars occur in all sizes from alpine groundcovers to 20m tall trees. The leaves may be less than 10mm long to almost 1m long and their flowers vary similarly. The flower colour range covers almost everything except a true blue and with a range of species it is possible to have flowers in almost every season except late summer. Some have fragrant flowers and many carry their flowers in conical heads called trusses.
Rhododendron hybrids occur in a bewildering array, covering the whole spectrum of plant and flower size and flower colour. Many also have attractive foliage and bark. Flowering occurs from midwinter to early summer depending on the plant. A few have fragrant flowers but these tend to be more tender plants. The tropical Vireya rhododendrons are surprisingly cold tolerant, though they will not withstand repeated frosts.
Deciduous azalea species occur over much of the Northern Hemisphere, especially in Asia and North America. They are often tall shrubs but do not become tree-like. They have hairy, often sticky leaves that can colour brilliantly in autumn before falling. Their flowers appear in spring and are frequently very abundant, usually in red, yellow, orange, pink of cream shades. Some deciduous azaleas have very fragrant flowers.
Evergreen azaleas are small to medium-sized winter- to spring-flowering shrubs native to temperate and subtropical Asia. Evergreen azaleas are divided into a range of groups, such as Belgian Indica, Kurume, Kaempferi and Satsuki based on their parentage, flower type, flowering season and growth habit. The evergreen azalea colour palette does not include yellow or pure orange.
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