How to plant and care for Rhododendron

Rhododendron 'Cunningham's White'

🌸 Flower 🔁 Perennial

Big trusses of white, purple-spotted flowers in May on a tough, evergreen shrub. Needs acid soil — or grow a compact one in a pot of ericaceous compost.

When to plant and care for it

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Flowers

Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.

Growing Rhododendron: what it needs

Light: Part shade · 6+ hours a day
Watering: Keep moist with rainwater
Soil: Acid (ericaceous), moist, humus-rich soil
Spacing: 1.5 m
Height: 2 m
In pots: Only in large containers
Feeding: Ericaceous feed in spring
Hardiness: USDA zones 5–8

Step by step

On planting day
Plant
Plant at the same depth as it was in its pot, 1.5 m apart, and firm in.
0–1 days after “Plant”
Water In Well
Give a full can of water, then keep moist for the first few weeks while roots establish.
7–14 days after “Water In Well”
Mulch Around the Base
Spread 5 cm of compost or bark around the plant, keeping it off the stems.

Every year

March
Spring Feed
Feed with an ericaceous fertiliser and mulch with pine bark or leaf mould.
May
In Flower
Trusses of flowers — take a photo.
June
Snap Off Faded Flowers
Carefully snap off dead flower trusses just above the new buds — don't damage the buds below.
August
Water in Late Summer
Water with rainwater in dry spells — next year's flower buds form now.