Rhododendron degronianum

Rhododendron degronianum is a species of rhododendron native to northern parts of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, where it grows at altitudes of about 1,800 meters (5,900 ft).

Rhododendron degronianum is a shrub that grows to 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) in height,[1] with leaves that are narrowly to broadly elliptic, or linear lanceolate.

yakushimanum (formerly R. yakushimanum) is found wild only on the island of Yakushima, south of Kyushu Island of Japan, whose mountainous habitat and high rainfall make it an ideal climate for rhododendrons.

Many seedlings were dwarf forms measuring only 1.5 m (4.9 ft) tall and broad, but with large clusters of flowers and long narrow convex leaves, decoratively felted on the undersides.

[5] The following have achieved the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:[6]

All subspecies of R. degronianum have indumentum on the underside of their leaves, here seen on a plant growing in Fukushima Prefecture , Japan