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Rhododendron macrophyllum

Pacific Rhododendron

At a Glance: Showy shrub that can grow very large, with clusters of large pink flowers.

Height: Up to 26 feet (8 meters) if grown in shade; shorter and bushier in sunlight.
Growth Form: Shrub.
Leaves: Alternate, evergreen, leathery, thick, not hairy, oblong-elliptic, 8-20 cm (3-8 in) long; color: deep green.
Flowers: Pink to rose-purple, bell-shaped, 5-lobed (the lobes have wavy edges), 2-4 cm long; few to many in showy terminal clusters.
Flowering Period: May, June, July.
Fruits: Capsules woody, reddish-brown, to 2 cm long.


Photo © 2003, Starflower Foundation

Sun/Shade Tolerance	Hydrology	Elevation Range
full sun > 80% mostly sunny 60%-80% partial sun and shade 40%- 60% mostly shady 60%-80% full shade > 80%	wet moist dry	low elevation mid elevation sub-alpine high elevation

Soil Preferences
sandy soils gravelly soils clay soils muddy soils peaty soils	well drained soils shallow soils deep soils acidic soils basic soils	humic soils nutrient rich soils nutrient poor soils mineral soils organic soils

Habitat Preferences
Aquatic and Wetland: Ponds or lakes Shallow pools Sloughs Swales or wet ditches Seasonally inundated areas Marshes or swamps Aquatic bed wetlands Emergent wetlands Scrub-shrub wetlands Forested wetlands Bogs, fens Seeps, springs Shorelines and Riparian: Lake shores Bog margins Streams or rivers Stream or river banks Riparian corridors River bars Floodplains Bottomlands Alluvial areas	Saltwater Areas: In or near saltwater Mud flats Tidal areas Estuaries Saltmarshes Brackish water Seashores Coastal dunes or beaches Rocky or Gravelly Areas: Coastal bluffs Cliffs Rocky slopes Outcrops Crevices Glacial outwash Gullies Slide areas Sub-alpine and Alpine: Heaths Snow beds Tundra Avalanche tracks	Forests and Thickets: Forests and woods Open forests Coniferous forests Old growth forests Deciduous forests Mixed forests Nurse logs Forest edges, openings, or clearings Thickets Meadows and Fields: Pastures or fields Meadows or grassy areas Mossy areas Disturbed Areas: Roadsides Trailsides Logged sites Burned areas Disturbed sites

Wildlife Value
Berries Seeds Nectar for hummingbirds Nectar for butterflies Host for insect larvae Thickets and shelter Thorny or protective cover	Birds: Songbirds nest in large specimens. Insects: Bumblebees and swallowtail butterflies are attracted to the flowers. Mammals: Deer will eat the flowers and flower buds.

Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts

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Suggested References

Alden, P., D. Paulson. 1998. National Audubon Society, Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest. Chanticleer Press. Page 115.
Brockman, F.C. 1968. A Guide to Field Identification: Trees of North America. Western Publishing Company. Page .
Hickman, J.C., ed. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California. University of California Press. Page 566.
Hitchcock, C.L., A. Cronquist. 1973. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 348.
Jacobson A.L. 2001. Wild Plants of Greater Seattle. Published by author. Page 128.
Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 270.
Lyons, C., W. Merilees. Trees and Shrubs to Know in Washington and British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 152.
Pojar, J., A. Mackinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 61.

The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.