Violet flower Rhododendron ponticum
Flowering bush Rhododendron ponticum
Palmate leaf Rhododendon ponticum
Rhododendron ponticum pink-white flowers
White flowers Rhododendron ponticum
Rhododendron ponticum yellow flowers
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Rhododendron ponticum, Black Sea Rhododendron
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
What do the Iberian Peninsula and the shores of the Black Sea have in common? Both regions are home to Rhododendron ponticum, an abundantly flowering shrub in the Ericaceae family.
How to recognize Rhododendron ponticum?
Rhododendron ponticum can reach eight meters in all directions. It is a highly branched shrub with a dense, spreading habit.
The evergreen leaves are dark, glossy green. They are lanceolate and measure between six and eighteen centimetres.
Rhododendron ponticum flowers in late spring. The trumpet-shaped flowers are grouped in corymbs. They form clusters of ten to fifteen flowers at the end of branches. The botanical variety blooms mauve. Hybrids with pink, violet or purple flowers are also available.
In summer, the flowers give way to fruits, woody capsules containing thousands of seeds.
The plant is toxic. If ingested, it causes severe digestive disorders. Avoid planting Rhododendron ponticum in your garden if you live with a cat, dog, goat or rabbit.
And don't grow it in the ground if you live in northern and western France, the Netherlands or Great Britain. In these regions, the plant is considered invasive. Better to plant it in pots or choose another species, such as rhododendron yakushimanum or japanese Azalea.
Our maintenance tips
Rhododendron ponticum thrive in acid soil. If your garden soil is alkaline, plant in pots.
Watering
Rhododendron ponticum like to keep their feet cool, but can't stand soggy soil. Water when the substrate is dry on the surface, for about three centimetres.
To provide your plant with the nutrients it needs, give preference to rainwater. Avoid tap water, which is often too hard. Finally, to avoid damaging the roots, use water at room temperature.
If you use a saucer or planter, remove any stagnant water. It could rot the root system.
Repotting
When the roots escape from the pot, it's time to repot your Rhododendron ponticum.
Get a new pot with a slightly larger diameter and depth than the previous one. Pour a bed of clay balls or gravel into the bottom for drainage.
Rhododendron ponticum plants like light, rich, well-drained soil. Fill your pot with a mixture of one third potting soil for green plants, one third sand and one third heather soil.
Remove your Rhododendron ponticum from its old container. If the roots have begun to turn in circles, untie them. Place your subject in the center of the pot and fill in with substrate. Tamp and water for the first time.
Fertilization
You can stimulate the growth of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.
Apply a fertilizer for flowering or acid-loving plants. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to avoid damaging the foliage.
Prune
To encourage the growth of your Rhododendron ponticum, prune regularly.
You don't need to prune your Rhododendron ponticum. Just remove wilted flowers and dead leaves.
You can also cut away dead wood with clean, sharp pruning shears.
Plantation
Once the last spring frosts have passed, you can plant.
Choose a location in partial shade, under a tree for example.
Soak the rootball of your Rhododendron ponticum, preferably in rainwater. Meanwhile, dig a hole twice as wide and as deep as the rootball.
Plant your Rhododendron ponticum and backfill with a mixture of garden soil, heather and compost. If your soil is heavy, add gravel or sand to improve drainage.
Tamp and water to encourage rooting. Mulch with organic matter, such as pine bark, to keep the soil cool.
Cutting
Select a branch that has not yet flowered and whose tip is still flexible.
Take a section about ten centimetres long. Cut with clean, sharp pruning shears below a node.
Dress your cutting. Remove the leaves on the lower half of the shoot. You can reduce the size of the others by half.
Fill a pierced pot with a mixture of universal potting soil(1/3), sand(1/3) and heather (1/3). You can also use potting soil for seedlings and cuttings mixed with perlite. Form a pre-hole and plant your cutting in the center. Pack lightly.
Cutting is done in a smothered fashion. Place your Rhododendron ponticum in a mini greenhouse or translucent crate. You can also cover it with a transparent plastic bag.
Your cutting needs humidity to develop. Fog the leaves and potting soil whenthey are dry, to maintain a high level of humidity. But beware of rot! You need to aerate for a few minutes every day to avoid rot.
Diseases / Threats
Information
| Family | Ericaceae - Ericaceae |
| Type | Rhododendron - Rhododendron |
| Species | Rhododendron ponticum - Rhododendron ponticum |
| Lifecycle | Perennial |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Exposure | |
| Substrats | |
| Planting methods |
Open ground In pots In tubs |
| Categories | |
| Tags |
Beginner Invasive Flowery Rustic Toxic |
| Origins |
Western Asia Southeast Asia Western Europe |
| Hardiness (USDA) | 7b |
| Leaf color |
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| Flower colors |
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