Blue Baron Rhododendron

Violet-blue buds open to near-blue trumpet flowers with lavender throats, a color almost no other rhododendron produces. Rhododendron 'Blue Baron' grows 3 to 4 feet tall and wide in the first decade, eventually reaching 6 feet, in part shade, hardy from Zone 5 through Zone 8.

Bloom comes early to mid season, ahead of the large-leaf rhododendrons.

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 foliage is small, glossy, and elliptical, greening in summer and taking on bronze tones in cold weather. The habit runs upright and can go leggy with age, so a lower plant in front helps. Acidic soil is necessary, roughly pH 4.5 to 6.0, with good drainage. Mulch the shallow roots. A burlap screen helps where winter wind is harsh.