Rhododendron (Yakushimanum) 'TEDDY BEAR'

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.

Teddy Bear is really a cute name for a rhododendron, isn’t it? It belongs among rhododendrons that are cultivated predominantly for their beautiful foliage. The most interesting feature is the coppery orange or brown foliage reverse which resembles teddy bear fur. As the leaves emerge they are covered with dense, silvery grey indumentum. Don’t mistake it for a disease, it is a natural protection of young foliage which will disappear when the leaves mature to dark green colour. They are evergreen, leathery, broadly elliptic, 10-12 cm long, convex, and glossy.

In early May appear pink flower buds composed in trusses of 8-10. They open to 5-6 cm wide, porcelain white flowers with a few, less conspicuous, pink freckles on dorsal sepal. Teddy Bear grows slowly into a mounding, compact. and extremely dense shrub about 1.5 m tall in maturity. It was bred by Briggs Nursery in Washington, USA, in 1980 and introduced/registered in 1991.

For a better-looking plant deadhead rhododendrons where possible. The roots are shallow, spreading to sides in search for nutrients. Never plant them too deep. The soil must well-drained, acidic (of pH value 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. It is hardy to min. -23°C (USDA zone 6) and may withstand a few degrees lower (more trials pending).

Last update 27-01-2021