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Rhododendron x gowenianum - Gowen's Azalea

Rhododendron (Azalea) x gowenianum
Gowen's Azalea

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This small evergreen bush forms a ball about a metre in all directions. In late spring, its delicate small flowers appear, ranging from light violet to pink, which emit a pleasant fragrance. A very hardy and charming plant, to be cultivated in partial shade, in an acidic soil that remains moist. Well suited for small gardens and for pot cultivation.
Flower size
3 cm
Height at maturity
1 m
Spread at maturity
1 m
Exposure
Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -15°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil
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Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time March to May, September to October
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Flowering time June
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Description

Rhododendron x  gowenianum, still very rare in cultivation, is an ancient hybrid variety between an azalea and a rhododendron. This plant charms with its delicate and original flowering, made up of a multitude of small mauve to pink star-shaped flowers that perfume a whole section of the garden. In late spring, it is a real pleasure to see them bloom in large numbers on its beautiful rhododendron leaves. With its lovely rounded habit and modest stature, this bush thrives in partial shade and acidic soil, making it perfectly suited for small spaces and container gardening.

Rhododendron x gowenianum is a result of cross-breeding between an evergreen Rhododendron and a deciduous azalea, carried out in the United Kingdom before 1825 by James Robert Gowen. Its parents are the Rhododendron periclymenoides or viscosum and the hybrid R. catawbiense x ponticum. It is a hardy evergreen shrub (up to -15°C), which performs well in our cool and humid temperate climates.

This Rhododendron forms a well-branched bush with a dense and globose habit, which measures about 1m (3ft 4in) in all directions at the age of 10 years. In optimal growing conditions, it can reach 1.50m (4ft 11in) in height. Its growth is slow. Its flowering, full of charm, takes place in early June, depending on the climate. The flowers, 2.5 to 3.5cm (1 to 1.4in) wide, gradually change from light mauve to lilac and soft pink. They have a funnel shape and are gathered in spherical terminal clusters, each of which can have 36 to 48 flowers. Their scent is intensely sweet. The foliage, more or less evergreen in winter, is composed of large, simple, elliptical leaves with entire margins, arranged alternately on the branches. Their colour is a fairly dark green with a slight shine. Some leaves fall in winter, some dry up in spring, while new shoots develop. Rhododendrons have a shallow root system, which should never lack moisture, but they fear stagnant humidity that suffocates them.

Rhodoodendrons thrive in cool and humid climates, with marked winters, planted in humus-rich and acidic soil, such as heather soil. Under these conditions, they are beautiful evergreen shrubs for borders or flowering pots, attractive all year round. They happily accompany heathers, Japanese maples, or their Chinese relatives, the changing colours of which vary with the seasons, as well as Japanese camellias and their graceful autumn-flowering cousins, the often fragrant hybrids of C. sasanqua. The gowenianum hybrid, which forms a beautiful rounded bush, allows for playing with heights and filling in the spaces left between large heather shrubs. It will work wonders in large borders, but also on the terrace or balcony, in a carefully chosen large pot.

Rhododendron x gowenianum - Gowen's Azalea in pictures

Rhododendron x gowenianum - Gowen's Azalea (Flowering) Flowering

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1 m
Spread at maturity 1 m
Habit Irregular, bushy
Growth rate slow

Flowering

Flower colour mauve
Flowering time June
Inflorescence Cyme
Flower size 3 cm
Fragrance Fragrant, Sweet drifting fragrance
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators
Flowering description Pinkish-purple, highly fragrant.

Foliage

Foliage persistence Semi-evergreen
Foliage colour dark green
Foliage description Evergreen.

Botanical data

Genus

Rhododendron (Azalea)

Species

x gowenianum

Family

Ericaceae

Other common names

Gowen's Azalea

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference162251

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Planting and care

Rhododendron x gowenianum prefers a rather shady location, unlike the Chinese Azalea, but its favourite exposure is partial shade. It is a plant that thrives in a humid and cool climate, and does not tolerate heat, dry air, or excessively dry or waterlogged soils. Plant it in a soil enriched with compost or humus, well-drained, and above all, non-calcareous. When planting, make sure not to bury the root ball too deeply, it should be level with the ground. Water generously during dry periods, at least once a week during the first year, with non-calcareous water.

In spring, apply fertilizer for plants that prefer acidic soil. After flowering, perform light pruning to maintain a neat plant, even though pruning is not essential. Remove faded flowers to promote the emergence of new shoots. Azalea have few diseases when well-established outdoors and in suitable climate conditions. It can be attacked by leaf-eating caterpillars and by the famous "rhododendron leafhopper," which rarely causes significant damage. If this is the case, treat with carbofuran. If the soil is calcareous or poorly drained, and if the plant is planted too deeply, the leaves may turn yellow and eventually wither.

Planting period

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time March to May, September to October

Intended location

Suitable for Woodland edge
Type of use Border, Container
Hardiness Hardy down to -15°C (USDA zone 7b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Partial shade
Soil pH Acidic
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light)
Soil moisture Moist soil, Humus-bearing, well-drained

Care

Pruning instructions Pruning is optional. After flowering, remove dead wood and if you need to limit the branches, do so sparingly, as severe pruning could jeopardize next year's flowering.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time July to August
Soil moisture Moist soil
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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