Rhododendron (elepidote - Large Leaved)

These are what most people first think of when they hear the word rhododendron. “Elepidote” literally means “without scales,” referring to a characteristic of the familiar large leaf rhododendrons. Foliage of this class of rhododendrons, although generally larger in size, can vary from about an inch long as in the species R. proteoides to as much as three feet long in the species R. sinogrande. Some have incredible fuzzy indumentum on the new growth and under the leaves, as on R. yakushimanum. The flowers can be almost any color. This group includes a very large number of hybrids. Our listing includes both species and hybrids.