Anah Kruschey Rhododendron

For a beautiful, easy-going, and tough rhododendron, look no further than the Anah Kruschke Rhododendron. A well-rounded, upright dome of leaves, it’s spring display is one of the best, with gorgeous purple-red flowers in large trusses that are sure to bring your garden alive. Spring is such a lively, vital time of the year, your garden deserves to match that vigor with strong colors and bold displays – and this is one shrub that will deliver. Growing to about 5 feet tall, and 4 feet wide in 10 years, it fits perfectly into spaces in existing beds, or can be used as a specimen, or group planting, in new layouts. Perfect for gardens with shade from overhead trees, it looks lush and green the rest of the year, with tough evergreen leaves that withstand winter cold. The rich color is the perfect compliment for pinks and paler shades, and brings a tone that is relatively rare among rhododendrons, where pinks and reds are the more common colors.

• Bold display of frilly flowers in huge trusses
• Unique, special coloring of gorgeous reddish-purple
• Upright, dome-shaped form no more than 5 feet tall
• One of the toughest and most tolerant types of rhododendrons
• For the best results cultivate it in acidic soils

The Anah Kruschke Rhododendron will grow happily in poorer soil and darker spots than the majority of rhododendrons, being a seedling of the tough Rhododendron ponticum. For best results plant in acidic soils with a pH value of no more than 6.0, and preferably lower. Although tough, it will give the best results if planted in better soil, so take the time to enrich it with lime-free compost, rotted leaves, or shredded pine bark and pine needles. Dig them into the soil, and also use them as a mulch over the root zone. This will conserve moisture and feed your bush as well. It is quite hardy, growing well in the warmer parts of zone 5, and all through zone 8, and tolerates cold winters and hot, humid summers as well. It isn’t eaten by deer, and rarely has any pest or disease issues you need to worry about. Note that this plant is toxic to livestock and horses.