Plant Guide

Description:

This captivating, compact evergreen shrub is bathed in clusters of delicate white blooms that gives the appearance of clouds; an excellent choice to mass in groupings as an elegant focal point of the garden; must have rich acidic soil

Ornamental Features

Boule de Neige Rhododendron is bathed in stunning clusters of lightly-scented white trumpet-shaped flowers at the ends of the branches in late spring. It has grayish green evergreen foliage. The narrow leaves remain grayish green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Boule de Neige Rhododendron is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Boule de Neige Rhododendron is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Boule de Neige Rhododendron will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.