Rhododendron Anuschka

Rhododendron 'Anuschka' is a compact hybrid with a generous pink flowering, in large open flowers. Very hardy, it tolerates a fairly sunny situation, a semi-shade that tends towards the sun, always non-scorching. Its young leaves are covered with a silvery down, the petals of its flowers are dark pink, lightening towards light pink and white at the centre of the flower, where a reddish-brown spot blooms. This evergreen shrub dresses up a bed or border in ericaceous soil all year round and is perfectly suited to a Japanese-style garden.

Rhododendrons are plants of the Ericaceae family, just like heathers, mostly preferring acidic soils devoid of limestone, and humid climates. Rhododendron yakushimanum 'Anuschka' forms a dense bush, with a rounded habit, reaching approximately 1.20 m in height and 1.60 m in width at maturity. Its growth is rather slow. Its small, shiny, evergreen and leathery leaves are elliptical and cover the plant well. The semi-early flowering takes place in late May for 3 weeks. Grouped in corymbs, the reddish-pink floral buds open into large funnel-shaped, 10 cm wide flowers. The edge of the leaves is dark pink and lightens towards white in the centre, adorned with a reddish-brown spot.

Like all yakushimanum hybrids, affectionately called "rhodos yak" by specialists, Rhododendron 'Anuschka' is very hardy, to -20°C. Although they prefer a semi-shaded exposure, these hybrids can tolerate the sun as long as it is not scorching and their base remains moist. 'Anuschka', with its abundant and brightly coloured flowering, will easily dress up a small shaded area of the garden, under larger trees, with ferns, blue or variegated hostas, Pieris, Azaleas, Japanese Maples, or other rhododendrons from the same group to create superb patchworks of textures and colours in spring. Growing in containers requires regular watering with non-limestone water, as well as specific fertiliser for acid-loving plants.