Rhododendron catawbiense
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Rhododendron catawbiense, with common names Catawba rosebay,[1] Catawba rhododendron,[2] mountain rosebay,[2] purple ivy,[2] purple laurel,[2] purple rhododendron,[2] red laurel,[2] rosebay,[2] rosebay laurel,[2] is a species of Rhododendron native to the eastern United States, growing mainly in the southern Appalachian Mountains from West Virginia south to northern Alabama.
It is a dense, suckering shrub growing to Script error: No such module "convert". tall, rarely Script error: No such module "convert".. The leaves are evergreen, Script error: No such module "convert". long and Script error: No such module "convert". broad. The flowers are Script error: No such module "convert". in diameter, violet-purple, often with small spots or streaks, blooming from April through June. The fruit is a dry capsule Script error: No such module "convert". long, containing numerous small seeds.
The species is named after the Catawba River.[3]
Classification
Rhododendron catawbiense belongs to the subgenus Hymenanthes, within which it is further assigned to section Ponticum and subsection Pontica. The latter—one of the 24 subsections of Ponticum—also contains about a dozen other species. The taxonomy has been confused by a tendency to group all large leaved Rhododendrons under the catch-all R. catawbiense.[4]
Cultivation and uses
Rhododendron catawbiense is cultivated as an ornamental plant, popular both in North America and in parts of Europe. It is primarily grown for its spring flower display. Outside of its native range, many cultivars and hybrids have been created,[5] such as 'Catawbiense Grandiflorum', 'Purple Elegans', 'Roseus Elegans', and 'Grandiflorum'.
See also
- Catawbiense hybrid
- Central and southern Appalachian montane oak forest
- Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest
References
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- Milne, R. I., & Abbott, R. J. (2000). Origin and evolution of invasive naturalized material of Rhododendron ponticum L. in the British Isles. Molecular Ecology 9: 541-556 Abstract.