Emu Valley Newsletter – March 2025

• Date: 16th March 2025
• author: Maurie Kupsch

RHODODENDRON RUBROPILOSUM

Rhododendron rubropilosum is an evergreen azalea found growing on Mt. Morrison Taiwan on grass covered slopes at elevations of 2400-3400m, where it grows into an upright shrub from 1-3m high (around 2m in our garden).

The young shoots are covered with grey or reddish-brown hairs. Leaves are oblong-lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, the upper surface dark green, under surface pale green, both surfaces have scattered hairs similar hairs to the shoots. Flowers are funnel shaped, pale pink sometimes spotted rose and usually appear in clusters of 3-4 in September early October.

Rhododendron rubropilosum is closely related to R. subsessile, the main difference is the flowers are violet-purple or rose-pink on R. subsessile and the stamens are longer and is native to the Philippine Islands.

This species was first collected by G. Nakahara in 1906 and was introduced by Wilson in 1918 and by J.L. Creech in 1968. At the Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden it is growing quite well and can be seen on either side of the Noel Sullivan walk in our Taiwan section.

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