Emu Valley Newsletter – November 2023

• Date: 5th November 2023
• author: Maurie Kupsch

RHODODENDRON LUTEUM

Early October sees the first deciduous azalea species flowering at Emu Valley. This sweetly scented yellow flowered plant is Rhododendron luteum. The native home for this species is the western Caucasus, northern parts of Turkey, Georgia and Ukraine where it can be found growing in mixed conifer forests and on open hills and on river banks.

Rhododendron luteum is quite a vigorous plant in the wild reaching up to 4m, but only around half that in our garden, the leaves are oblong-lanceolate and turn delightful shades of reds and oranges in autumn.

Rhododendron luteum produces terminal tubular funnel shaped flowers which open before the leaves, these bright yellow flowers are produced in abundance and create a show which is hard to miss. Rhododendron luteum was discovered on the east side of the Black Sea in the early 1700’s and first introduced from the Caucasus by Pallas in 1792.

It is quite a robust plant at Emu Valley and many examples can be found in full flower at present.

To read about the successful ARS Conference and all the activities that are happening at EVRG gardens please download their newsletter.