Rhododendron maximum L.

Shrubs or trees, to 10 m, sometimes rhizomatous. Stems: bark smooth to vertically furrowed, shredding; twigs multicellular stipitate-glandular-hairy and eglandular-hairy (hairs basally branched, crisped/matted), glabrate in age. Leaves persistent; petiole multicellular-hairy (hairs ± branched), often glabrescent; blade oblong to obovate or elliptic, (6-)9-20(-31) × (1.5-)2-5(-8) cm (length/width ratio 2.4-8), thick, coriaceous, margins entire, revolute to ± plane, glabrous or sparsely hairy (hairs branched), apex acuminate to sometimes acute, surfaces scattered stipitate-glandular-hairy and eglandular-hairy (hairs forming dense mat, basally branched, crisped, abaxially becoming sticky and matted, forming ± scaly or continuous, pale, shellaclike coating, smooth to slightly roughened, hairs ± deciduous adaxially). Floral bud scales stipitate-glandular-hairy, eglandular-hairy (hairs ferruginous, crisped), and short unicellular-hairy abaxially, margins hairy (hairs branched, long-celled). Inflorescences 10-25-flowered; bracts similar to bud scales. Pedicels 17-60 mm, multicellular stipitate-glandular-hairy. Flowers opening after development of leaves (of flowering shoots), erect to horizontal, not or only slightly fragrant; calyx lobes 2-6 mm, stipitate-glandular-hairy; corolla white to pink, rarely deep pink to purple, with yellowish green spots on upper lobe, campanulate, 20-36 mm, scattered stipitate-glandular-hairy on outer surface, petals connate, lobes 10-23 mm, tube gradually expanding into lobes, 7-16 mm; stamens 10, included, ± unequal, 14-26 mm; (ovary stipitate-glandular-hairy). Capsules borne on erect pedicels, 8-20 × 4-6.5 mm, stipitate-glandular-hairy. Seeds without distinct tails, flattened portion of testa well developed at each end; testa expanded, dorsiventrally flattened, loose. 2n = 26.

Damp places along streams, edges of bogs and ponds, woods and mountain slopes to 900 metres, often forming impenetrable thickets.

Can be grown by cuttings, graftings or seedlings.