catawba rhododendron
Rhododendron catawbiense
USDA zones4 to 8
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size6 to 10 feet tall8 to 12 feet wide
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer
- Bloom color
- Lavender-pink
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam
- Soil pH
- Acid
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) is a shrub for borders, specimen planting, and hedges. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and dry to moist, sandy or loamy soil. Deer rarely make it their first choice. It forms a dense mound of thick, glossy, dark green evergreen leaves that can turn yellow-green in winter. Rosy-lilac flowers open in dense clusters in spring.
Pairs well with Christmas fern, Eastern white pine, and Jacob’s ladder.
Native range
Southeastern United States.