Plant of the Week: P.J.M. Rhododendron

Many people confuse azalea plants with Rhododendrons. So what is the difference? To put it simply, all azaleas are Rhododendrons (the capital "R" signifying the plant genus), but not all Rhododendrons are azaleas. The genus Rhododendron is in the heath family which also includes such plants as  blueberries, cranberries, and mountain laurels. Most members of the heath family need an acidic soil to grow.

This week's Plant of the Week, the P.J.M. rhododendron is considered to be one of the hardiest of the rhododendrons, in terms of withstanding not only cold, but also heat and sun, and are much more soil adapatable. Varieties of P.J.M. are available with either pinkish-lavender or white flowers and grow to an overall size of approximately 4’ x 4’ at maturity. These rhododenrons make excellent foundation plantings especially when grouped together as a shrub border and prefer partial shade to full sun. P.J.M. Rhododendrons are also a popular choice for landscapes because they provide year round interest, with flowers in the spring, green suumer foliage, and mahogony winter color.