Rhododendron Towhead
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Creamy yellow flowers open early in the season, a color that barely exists among the small-leaf rhododendrons. Rhododendron 'Towhead' grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide in part shade, hardy from Zone 5 through Zone 8.
The habit is a dense low cushion, tighter and more mounded than the creeping types, holding its shape without pruning.
The small-leaved rhododendrons, sometimes called lepidotes, differ from the big-leaf types in more than size. They flower earlier, take more sun, handle cold better, and the foliage turns mahogany or plum through winter instead of staying green. The leaves are aromatic, releasing a spicy scent when brushed. In colder gardens they behave as semi-evergreens, dropping a share of the older interior leaves over winter while holding the newer growth at the branch tips. That thinning is normal and the plant refoliates in spring.
The compact size suits a rock garden, a container, or the front of a shaded border. Acidic soil is necessary, roughly pH 4.5 to 6.0, with sharp drainage. Mulch the shallow roots.
Height 2'- 3' Spread 3'- 4'
USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8
Lowest Temperatures -20°F to -10°F
Part shade - 4 to 6 hours of direct sun per day, mostly before midday
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