Rhododendron 'SNIPE'

Dwarf rhododendrons are popular shrubs that employ a lot of positive features: they are evergreen, usually very hardy, they take full sun and thrive on neglect. They are even less fussy about soil type as opposed to their large-leaved hybrid relatives. They are commonly and incorrectly classified as impeditum though many of them come from entirely different breeding.

Snipe is an attractive variety of dwarf rhododendron. It is a compact, low growing shrub with profusion of small, elliptic, evergreen leaves of dark olive green colour. After all frosts in first half of spring it produces numerous funnel-shaped, soft lilac-pink flowers that are very large compared to the small leaves. This variety was hybridized by a Scottish breeder Peter A.Cox in 1975 who made 33 successful crosses in 1970´s. Snipe is slow growing, making a nice mound about 60 cm wide and 30 cm tall in 10 years.

As a sun-tolerant plant it can be placed in a large rockery or a border with other sun-loving ericaceous plants like heather and deciduous azaleas. It is a perfect ground cover under tall trees and a low companion for compositions with large shrubs. Unless you are making a bonsai do not cut it.

Grow this dwarf type in any location from full sun to full shade, just make sure it is always well mulched. The roots are shallow, spreading to sides in search for nutrients. Never plant it too deep. For best results us acid soil (pH 4.5-5.5), rich in humus, cool, and always moist. Ideal soil mixture is peat with lime-free, light garden soil topped with leaf mould. Its hardiness has not been observed under all possible conditions but is expected to go down to minimum of -24°C (USDA zone ), possibly more.

Last update 08-04-2012