Christmas Cheer Rhododendron

Why wait forever to see your rhododendrons flower again? Plant the Christmas Cheer Rhododendron and see them back as soon as March. People even say theirs have bloomed with snow still on the ground!! This is one of the most cold-resistant of all the varieties available, and is totally hardy all the way through zone 5, yet happy in warmer zones too. The flowers are wonderful shades of soft pinks, carried in big trusses of up to 15, 2-inch blooms – what a display! You will indeed think Christmas has arrived twice. On a compact bush generally around 4 feet tall and a little wider within 10 years, this is sure to be a great addition to your garden – your only rhododendron, or one of many, that depends on you.

• One of the very first of all the rhododendrons to be in bloom
• Extremely hardy, thriving in zone 5
• Beautiful trusses of soft pink blossoms
• More drought tolerant than many other varieties
• Dead-head after flowering but never prune

The Christmas Cheer Rhododendron is more drought tolerant than many other varieties, and will take some summer dryness – just don’t push it too far. It also enjoys plenty of sun, especially in cold zones, and also likes some afternoon shade, especially in the hotter zones. Plant in rich, moist, well-drained soil that has a pH value lower than 6.5, and preferably between 5.0 and 5.5. If you don’t have suitable soil, grow it in a pot, and in fact, that way you can potentially bring it indoors to a cool, bright place and have a chance of blooming it for the holiday season – true Christmas cheer. Tough, reliable and a great choice, just deadhead after blooming is over, and never try to prune it beyond removing the occasional dead twig.