(Rhododendron ledebourii) Ledebur Rhododendron

Ledebur rhododendron grows in wild in Russia’s Altai Mountains. It is one of the hardiest of the rhododendrons, but sometimes first flowers may be spoiled by spring frosts. 

Leaves are small, oval and remain on the shrub through part of the winter. Early in spring violet-red flowers appear at the ends of the shoots; individual blossoms may be 2-4 cms, with 3-8 in a cluster. In the wild the species survives as a creeping sub-shrub among lime-rich rocks or may even grow to about 2 metres on moist peat in birch and mixed forest.

Cultivars (Rhododendron ledebourii v. album) and (Rhododendron ledebourii v. roseum) have white and rosy flowers.