Rhododendron Red Jack

The Rhododendron 'Red Jack' is a recent hybrid with beautiful vigour and a surprising ruby red spring flowering that catches everyone's attention. A beautiful bush with an upright habit, it is adorned with evergreen foliage of a dark matte green that perfectly highlights its large satin flowers, the red colour of which seems to radiate in the partially shaded areas of the garden. Volume, brightness, and colour are what this large Rhododendron offers, and it will fulfil all its promises in lime-free and moist conditions. Pair it with white, violet, or purple varieties in a large shrub border or even in a long hedge! 

Rhododendrons are plants of the Ericaceae family, just like heathers, preferring mostly limestone-free and slightly acidic soils, as well as humid climates. The Rhododendron 'Red Jack' is a variety native to Japan and China and was discovered by the Boskoop research station in the Netherlands. It belongs to the perfectly hardy hybrid rhododendrons with large flowers. It forms a rounded bush with upright branches, slightly taller than wide. At maturity, it reaches 2m (7ft) in height and 1.75m (6ft) in width on average. Its growth is rather slow. Its evergreen foliage is particularly dense, consisting of large, slightly stiff, dark matte green elliptical leaves that cover the plant well. Flowering usually takes place in May, lasting for about 3 weeks. It is remarkably abundant, with beautiful large funnel-shaped satin flowers grouped in conical clusters. The colour is almost pure red, with a touch of pink in the throat. The petals of 'Red Jack' have slightly fringed edges and open to reveal red stamens. 

Rhododendron 'Red Jack' is a flowering plant and very hardy, down to -20°C. Although they prefer partial shade, hybrid rhododendrons can tolerate morning sun as long as it is not scorching and their roots remain moist. 'Red Jack', with its abundant and vibrant flowering, attracts attention in the shaded areas of the garden. It can be planted alone, standing out in a bed of ferns and blue or variegated Hostas. It also pairs well with Pieris, Heathers, Kalmias, Skimmia, Azaleas, and Japanese Maples, as well as other rhododendrons of the same group to create beautiful patchworks of textures and colours in spring. Rhododendrons can also be used to create magnificent hedges, alone or with camellias or mimosas (in mild climates), for example. Cultivating them in containers requires regular watering with lime-free water and specific fertilizers for acid-loving plants.