Pale pink buds open to nearly white flowers with faint green speckling in the throat, carried in tight rounded clusters. Rhododendron yakushimanum 'Yaku Princess' grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide in part shade, hardy from Zone 5 through Zone 8.
The habit spreads noticeably wider than tall, forming a low dome that 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.
New growth emerges silvery and felted before darkening to deep green. Acidic soil is necessary, roughly pH 4.5 to 6.0, with good drainage and steady moisture. Mulch the shallow roots.