Rhododendron ponticum subsp. ponticum
Poisonous plant
Common name
rhododendron
Family
Ericaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
RHOPON
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Features
Large evergreen shrub to 6 m high with light lilac-pink to pinkish purple flowers and dark green leaves. Can set down roots from its barnches.
Similar taxa
Rhododendron ponticum is the only rhododendron in NZ to sucker (i.e., sets down roots from its branches).
Flowering
October, November, December
Flower colours
Violet/Purple
Year naturalised
1958
Origin
SE Europe, Asia minor
Reason For Introduction
Ornamental
Life Cycle Comments
Perennial. 12 years before seeding but prolific annual seed. Dark dense canopy. Outbreeder (Melanie Newfield, 1996)
Reproduction
seed and vegetatively by suckering.
Tolerances
Grows 0-1800m in the Mediterranean (Owen 1997).
Poisonous plant:
All rhododendrons are poisonous.