Anah Kruschke Rhododendron

A dense, rounded evergreen shrub with dark green foliage that disappears under reddish-purple flowers in late spring. The trusses are ball-shaped, 10 to 12 widely funnel-shaped blooms each, strong reddish-purple with a deep purplish-red blotch. Compact habit, reaching 5 to 6 feet tall and wide in 10 years. Bred by Franz Kruschke from 'Purple Splendour' crossed with seed-grown R. ponticum and introduced in 1973 by Wright's Nursery in Canby, Oregon (ARS #733). OSU rates flower quality 3-4, plant and foliage 4, and performance 5 on a 1-5 scale.

One of the most sun- and heat-tolerant elepidote hybrids in the trade, inherited from its ponticum parent alongside adaptability to heavier and drier soils than most rhododendrons accept. Hardy to -15°F (Zone 5b-9a). Full sun to part shade on acidic, well-drained soil (pH 4.5-6.0). Late-midseason bloom on previous season's wood. Twenty-one diseases and 15 pests are documented at the genus level; Phytophthora root rot and petal blight (Ovulinia, Botrytis) are the most consequential. The dense truss form can trap moisture during bloom, elevating petal blight risk under humid conditions. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic if ingested.