Yaku Prince Rhododendron

Pink buds open to light pink flowers that fade toward white, so a single cluster carries several shades at once. Rhododendron yakushimanum 'Yaku Prince' grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide in part sun to part shade, hardy from Zone 5 through Zone 8.

The leaf undersides carry a thick orange-brown felt, heavier than most of the group, which shows whenever wind turns the foliage.

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.

The habit is dense and mounded, holding its shape without pruning. Acidic soil is necessary, roughly pH 4.5 to 6.0, with good drainage and steady moisture. Mulch the shallow roots.