Rhododendron 'GOLDKRONE'

Rhododendrons are reliable, beautifully flowering, evergreen shrubs of variable origin: S.W. China, Himalayas, Northern America, and even Europe. The original species were hybridized several times for better performance so in the 1950´s there were more than 10,000 cultivars registered, and the number keeps increasing.

Goldkrone is another variety among yellow-flowering rhododendrons. Its flowers are bell-shaped, vanilla yellow and appear even on very young plants. Leaves are ovate with rounded tips, dark green and glossy. Goldkrone grows very slowly making a compact shrub about 50 cm tall and not more than 1 meter wide in 10 years. Ideal location is filtered sun or part shade, or full sun for just part of the day. Bred by Hans Hachmann in 1981.

For richer flowering and growth dead-head where possible. Rhododendrons are low-maintenance shrubs that will perform superbly provided you plant them well. The roots are shallow, spreading to sides in search for nutrients. Never plant them too deep. The soil has to be acidic (pH 4.5-5.5), rich in humus, cool and always moist but well-drained. Ideal soil mixture is peat with lime-free, light garden soil topped with leaf-mould. If you like to fertilize, use slow-release fertilizers or special water-soluble mixtures for profuse flowering or foliage health. Hardy to -27°C (USDA zone 5b).

Last update 10-12-2009