Rhododendron impeditum Azurika

The 'Azurika' Dwarf Rhododendron has inherited from its parent, the Rhododendron impeditum, a compact and slightly spreading habit, small evergreen foliage with grey-green-blue reflections and a beautiful spring flowering with rich shades of violet. In this lovely variety, violet buds are accompanied by fully open flowers with long brown stamens that gradually transition from deep blue-violet to mauve-blue, creating a delightful colour scheme throughout the inflorescence and even the bush itself. A small size well suited for restricted spaces and excellent hardiness are among the other advantages of 'Azurika'. Whether in the ground or in pots, plant it in partial shade in light, moist, and limestone-free soil.

'Azurika' Rhododendron is a plant belonging to the heath family, adapted to acidic soils and rather humid and cool climates. It is a small hybrid variety, highly resistant to cold like its ancestor from the Chinese mountains. It forms a small bush with a dense and well-branched habit, not exceeding 60cm (24in) in height and 90cm (35in) in width. Its branches carry small evergreen leaves, oval to elliptical in shape, with a dull green-grey-blue colour, much lighter on the underside. Its growth is slow, its vegetation is dense, and its foliage is elegant, making it a truly present feature in the garden all year round. However, it is in April-May (sometimes as early as March in mild climates) that it stands out thanks to its generous flowering with a rare colour. The bell-shaped flowers, about 6-7cm (2-3in) wide, are clustered at the ends of numerous stems. Starting as dark violet buds, they open into dark blue-violet tones that gradually lighten to mauve.

This modest-sized bush will be ideal in a moist rock garden, as a border plant or in a container, provided it has suitable soil and climate; "rhodos" are as charming as they are exclusive! Its blue-violet colour complements the pastel tones of hydrangeas (the choice is vast, from white to pink, including blue), the colourful young shoots of Pieris, and the red-purple and garnet hues, such as those of the foliage of the Japanese maple 'Atropurpureum' or the flowers of Loropetalum chinense 'Fire Dance'. Its cool-toned flowering perfectly complements that of pink rhododendrons like 'Dream Land', orange ones (Fire Ball), or why not the tender yellow of the variety Saffron Queen. For a contemporary-inspired scene or a garden with a minimalist style, it is best to combine it with white flowers and foliage, such as white Bleeding Heart and the coppery foliage of the Japanese shield fern (Dryopteris erythrosora).