Baden Baden Rhododendron

If you live in zone 5, choosing rhododendrons can be tricky. May routinely show ‘hardy to zone 5’, but to be sure, go for a plant that was particularly bred to handle the coldest edges of zone 5 – like the Baden Baden Rhododendron was. This evergreen has an unusual, broad, spreading habit, perhaps making 2 feet tall, but spreading twice that. The glossy, dark-green leaves are always charming, and this is a plant you will love growing. Its unique growth-form makes it ideal for edging beds, covering slopes and planting in shady rock gardens, and its vibrant, scarlet-red flowers will make it unmissable when it blooms in the middle of the rhododendron season. One of the most reliable cold-resistant varieties of these bushes, yet also grows happily in warmer zones too.

• Beautiful clusters of scarlet red blooms
• Glossy evergreen leaves on a low, spreading bush
• Adds red to your mid-season color palette of these bushes
• Very cold hardy, certainly in zone 5, and possibly beyond
• Needs acidic soil to grow well

Grow the Baden Baden Rhododendron in light shade, perhaps with some morning sun. beneath deciduous trees is ideal. It must be grown in acidic soil, with a pH value of less than 6.5. A value of 5.5 is ideal. The soil should be well-drained, very rich in lime-free organic matter, and generally moist – this is not a drought tolerant bush. Use mulch applied in spring to conserve moisture and keep the soil suitable. Normally not bothered by deer, rabbits, pests or diseases, the only maintenance is dead-head by snapping out the finished flower shoot (don’t cut off the stem tip, though) to make room for the new branches. Never prune or trim and or remove healthy foliage – just let it grow as it chooses for the best outcomes.