Rhododendron forrestii subsp. forrestii
Common name: 
Forrest Rhododendron
Pronunciation: 
rho-do-DEN-dron fo-REST-ee-eye
Family: 
Ericaceae
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Broadleaf evergreen shrub, groundcover, prostrate growth habit, spreading to mounding, very slow growing.  Leaves glossy dark green, rounded (obovate to orbicular), slightly puffy and wrinkled upper surface; purplish below.  Flowers tubular-bell shaped; fleshy, 4-5 cm long, bright scarlet or crimson, borne singly or in pairs.
  • 0°F, early-middle, 3/4/3  [flower / plant & foliage / performance; scale 1 (poor) - 5 (best)].
  • Native to China (southeast Tibet, Yunnan), northern Burma and India (Arunachal Pradesh).
  • forrestii: after George Forrest (1873-1932), Scottish plant collector who made several trips to China.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit

    plant habit

  • leaves and flower

    leaves and flower

  • flower and leaves

    flower and leaves

  • leaves

    leaves