Rhododendron Beethoven

The Japanese Azalea Beethoven is a bush with a rather compact habit, slightly wider than tall, with dark green evergreen foliage. In April, it is laden with a multitude of intense light mauve flowers, creating a dazzling spectacle in the garden. With fairly slow growth, it can easily be grown in a container to adorn a shaded terrace. In a bed, it will thrive alongside ericaceous plants, in acidic, cool, humus-bearing soil, under the protective shade of larger plants. This variety, with its magnificent flowering, requires little maintenance and fully deserves its place in the garden, easily adapting to smaller spaces.

Azaleas, although designated by a distinct horticultural name, actually belong to the Rhododendron genus, according to botanical classification. This genus is part of the vast Ericaceae family, which brings together around a hundred other genera with remarkable ornamental qualities, such as the small Pernettya with its decorative fruits, the Leucothoe with its highly ornamental foliage, or the countless Heathers. Some of these plants also produce edible fruits, such as the Blueberry Bush, or, in more southern regions, the Strawberry Tree. The Rhododendron genus is notable for its richness and cosmopolitan distribution: it comprises over 1000 wild species, ranging from temperate zones to tropical regions. It includes deciduous, semi-evergreen, or evergreen forms, ranging from small shrubs to true trees reaching up to 15 metres in height. Some tropical species, such as the Vireya Rhododendrons, are even semi-epiphytic and grow on other plants, much like many orchids.
The Rhododendron 'Beethoven' is a hybrid variety, perhaps derived from R. x obtusum, itself the result of cross-breeding between three botanical species... While its origin is uncertain, its beauty is truly dazzling. With slow growth, the bush spreads as it grows, forming after 10 years of cultivation a clump 70 cm in height and 80 cm in spread. At ripeness, after 15 to 20 years, it can reach 1.50 m in all directions. It is clothed in evergreen vegetation, consisting of small lanceolate leaves 2 to 4 cm long, of a dark green colour. From April onwards, they serve as a setting for the flowering: thousands of single five-petalled flowers, of a brilliant light mauve, bloom in such profusion that they almost entirely conceal the foliage. The spectacle is truly magical when the corollas, about 5 cm in diameter, unfurl for several weeks until May, creating a powerful focal point in the garden. Few plants can rival a fully flowering Azalea in spring, and 'Beethoven' is no exception with its vibrant colours.

Plant the Japanese Azalea Beethoven in a shaded area of the garden, which it will illuminate magnificently in spring with its resplendent flowering. It will thrive in a heather soil bed alongside other plants of the same type. By choosing staggered flowering times, you can enjoy a floral display throughout the year. Thus, the Autumn Camellias (Camellia sasanqua) will take care of adorning autumn and winter with their graphic flowers of romantic beauty. The Star Magnolias (M. stellata) will then take over at the very beginning of spring with their large flowers with long, narrow petals. The Kalmias (Mountain Laurels) will bloom in May-June, succeeding your Azalea with their curious inflorescences reminiscent of English porcelain. And to elegantly occupy the summer period, nothing beats Hydrangeas, which come in countless shapes and colours depending on the species and varieties...