Ruffled pink flowers open in compact clusters and fade gradually to white, so a plant in bloom carries both at once. Rhododendron Mardi Gras grows 3 to 4 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide in part shade, hardy from Zone 6 through Zone 8.
The compact spreading habit, wider than tall, suits a foundation bed or the front of a shaded border.
The yakushimanum hybrids come from a species native to a single Japanese island, and they inherit its best traits: dense compact habit, thick leaves with a felted tan coating underneath, and heavy bud set on young plants. They hold their foliage better through winter than most large-leaf rhododendrons, though the leaves still roll in hard cold, which reverses as soon as it warms.
Acidic soil is necessary, roughly pH 4.5 to 6.0, with good drainage and steady moisture. Mulch the shallow roots.