Rhododendron (Yakushimanum) 'PRINCIPESSA' rhododendron

Principessa is a delicate and gorgeous yakushimanum rhodododendron bred by Frank Fujioka in Washington, USA. You must fall in love with its large, baroque-skirt-like flowers with frilled margins. They open from rich pink buds, getting paler as they unfold, maturing to almost white. Their uniqueness is sealed with a rich cherry red eye in the centre, marked on all 5 petals, exactly like the hibiscus flowers have. If you are after romantic flowers you must have one of these. Evergreen leaves are leathery, lanceolate to elliptic, mid green, and partly glossy. The plant grows uniformly into a compact shrub of almost the same height and width of about one meter.

Tests proved that deadheading of these hybrids does not influence formation of flower buds for the following season. However, as these plants are slow growers and make short new branches, deadheading significantly improves their appearance since the new shoots cannot cover the unsightly dry seed-pods that followed the flowers.

Yakushimanum rhododendrons grow slowly, forming compact mounds. Their mature leaves usually have indumentum of various colours on the undersides. They thrive in full sun and partial shade, they can take full shade, too, but is not ideal. The soil has to be reasonably fertile, well-drained, cool, constantly moist, and of low pH (6 or less) = acidic. They do not require nitrogen but need iron and phosphorus. Their roots spread outwards and are very shallow, therefore never plant them too deep. When planting mix good, lime-free compost with quality peat or leaf mould, and add some slow-release fertilizer. To conserve moisture and to suppress weeds keep them mulched all year round. The layer of mulch should not be too high so that their delicate roots can breathe. No pruning required. So far Principessa proved hardy to -24°C (USDA zone 6), and is expected to withstand a few degrees lower.

Last update 25-01-2017