Yaku Princess Rhododendron

A dense, rounded, compact evergreen shrub reaching 3 feet in 10 years and 4 to 5 feet at maturity. Tubular funnel-shaped flowers with wavy lobes, 2½ inches wide, strong purplish-pink with a pale purplish-pink blotch and dark reddish-orange spotting, fading lighter with age. Ball-shaped trusses of 15 flowers. Midseason bloom. Olive-green foliage with dark orange-yellow indumentum beneath and silver tomentum on new growth. A yakushimanum hybrid: 'King Tut' crossed with R. degronianum subsp. yakushimanum 'Koichiro Wada', bred by Shammarello in Ohio (ARS #772). Sibling to 'Yaku Prince'.

Silver tomentum on the emerging leaves is this cultivar's signature feature, distinguishing it from sibling 'Yaku Prince' and most other yak hybrids. The dark orange-yellow indumentum on mature leaf undersides adds a second layer of foliage interest through the year. Hardy to -15°F (Zone 5b-8a), 5 degrees hardier than its sibling. Part shade to full sun on acidic, well-drained soil (pH 4.5-6.0). Yakushimanum parentage contributes higher light tolerance and broader exposure tolerance than typical elepidote hybrids. Slow growth. Twenty-one diseases and 15 pests documented at the genus level. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic if ingested.