Rhododendron dauricum L.

A deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub up to 6 ft in height; young shoots scaly and downy. Leaves oval, rounded at the apex, tapering or rounded at the base, 1⁄2 to 11⁄2 in. long, 1⁄4 to 5⁄8 in. wide, dark glossy green and slightly scaly above, paler and scaly beneath. Flowers bright rosy purple, 1 to 11⁄2 in. across, produced during January and February singly from each one of a cluster of scaly buds at the end of the previous summer’s growth, where there are usually but one or two flowers open at a time. Corolla flat, saucer-shaped; calyx-lobes five, short. Bot. Mag., t. 636 (s. Dauricum)

Native of Russia from E. Siberia to the Pacific, and of N.E. Mongolia, N.E. China, Korea, and Japan; grown in English gardens since 1780. It is one of the earliest of rhododendrons to flower, showing its blossoms usually in January, sometimes even when snow is on the ground, but later in some seasons. For this reason, although its beauties are of a modest kind, it is well worth growing in a small group, preferably in some spot sufficiently sheltered to mitigate to some extent the harshness of wind and weather at the inclement season when its blossoms appear.

From the Supplement (Vol. V)

It should be noted that the correct name for the former Dauricum series is subsect. Rhodorastrum.

There are other clones of R. dauricum now available (apart from ‘Midwinter’), giving together a range of flowering times from winter to spring.

For the related species recognised in the Flora of the Soviet Union, see Rev. 1, p. 113.