RHODODENDRON 



261 



India, Tree ' Laurel ' (443) — Rhododendron arboreum, — another from 

 Asia Minor, Pontic Rhododendron (444) — Rhododendron p6nticum, — 

 and two are from America, Catawba Rhododendron (445) — Rhododen- 

 dron catawbiense — and Great 'Laurel' (446) — Rhododendron maxi- 

 mum. The leaves are alternate, often clustered at ends of branches, usually 

 large, thick and leathery. The flowers are large bell-shaped and somewhat 

 irregularly 5-lobed. The stamens are usually 10 and slightly projecting 

 from the corolhx. The fruit is a usually large capsule splitting into 5 or 

 10 valves and with many minute seeds. The terminal buds in winter are 

 large and many-scaled. The plants are generally from 4 to 8 feet high, 

 though a number of alpine and northern species reach only to the height of 

 1 to 3 feet, wliile some Himalayan species grow to the height of 30 to 60 feet. 



Fig. 443. — Tree ' Laurel. 



Fig. 444. — Pontic Rhododendron. 



A soil free from clay or lime is found best for Rhododendrons and a 

 slightly shaded position is natural for many species. The soil should be 

 well drained but watering is necessary in our dry summers. 



The Rhododendrons vie with the roses in the endless number of species 

 and hybrids. Though there have been many attempts, no book has made 

 practical the distinction of the varieties. A few American wild species 

 and one from Asia are here described. 



Our northern wild species, Great 'Laurel' (446) — Rhododendron 



