Rhododendron yakushimanum Dopey

The Rhododendron yakushimanum 'Dopey' is a compact hybrid that is adorned in spring with a magnificent deep red flowering. On this dense, ball-shaped shrub, the dark green evergreen foliage highlights the abundant flowering. This variety is an excellent choice for a small garden, as well as for container planting. The plant grows in full sun or partial shade, in acidic and moist, but well-drained soil. Hardy, this Rhododendron dislikes limestone, heat, and drought. 

The Rhododendrons are plants of the Ericaceae family, which includes about a hundred genera, many of which are common in our gardens. Heathers, Kalmia, Andromeda, Leucothoe, Oxydendrum, or other Gaultheria are valuable in ornamental beds, while Arbutus and especially Bilberry delight us with their fruits. For the most part, these are plants that prefer soils devoid of limestone, with an acidic tendency and humid climates.

Rhododendron yakushimanum ‘Dopey’ is a relatively old variety, which was obtained in England in 1970 within the Waterer Nurseries in Bagshot (in Surrey, south of London). It is a complex hybrid, the result of crossing two other hybrids. One of them is a hybrid of Rhododendron facetum, with red flowers, a mountain species from Burma and China, growing at over 2000 m (6500 ft) altitude, crossed with a Rhododendron 'Fabia' with salmon-pink flowers. The other is the result of a cross between a hybrid of Rhododendron yakushimanum, a slow-growing Japanese species with a compact habit, and a Rhododendron 'Fabia Tangerine', a cultivar with beautiful bell-shaped orange flowers. 'Dopey' is a superb variety that forms a dense bush, with a rounded habit of about 1.00 m (3 ft) to 1.50 m (5 ft) in all directions when mature. Its growth is slow, generally reaching 80 cm (32 in) at the age of 10. Its evergreen leaves in winter, leathery, of a beautiful dark green colour, are elongated and elliptical in shape and cover the plant well. Flowering takes place in April-May in an explosion of colour. Grouped in corymbs of 12 to 16, the large funnel-shaped flowers in bright red to dark red form large clusters. The contrast with the dark foliage makes it one of the most spectacular spring blooms and a major attraction in the garden.

Like all hybrids of yakushimanum, affectionately nicknamed "yak rhodos" by specialists, Rhododendron 'Dopey' is hardy down to -20°C (-4°F). Even though they prefer partial shade exposure, these hybrids can tolerate the sun as long as it is not scorching (morning sun) and their base remains moist. 'Dopey', with its abundant and brightly coloured flowering, will easily adorn a small shaded space in the garden, along with other acid-loving plants. The first layer will be devoted to low plants such as Skimmia japonica Magic Marlot with variegated foliage and fragrant delicate flowers, as well as the small Andromeda 'Blue Ice' with its small blue-green leaves and cute bead-shaped flowers. The Kalmias, or Mountain Laurels, with their superb flowers with fused petals, so original and colourful, can accompany 'Dopey'. And to extend the flowering period of your bed, opt for the irreplaceable Camellias, whose refinement of flowers is matched only by their diversity in both form and colour. Its limited growth allows this 'Dopey' variety to be cultivated in a decorative container on a terrace or next to a pathway.