Practical
Plants

Rhododendron arboreum

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Rhododendron genus in the family Ericaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Ericaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
12 m
Spread
3 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves are poisonous[11][8]. The flowers can cause intoxication in large quantities[4].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The tender leaves are used as a cooked vegetable[2][3][4]. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Flowers - raw or cooked[10]. A sweet-sour taste, they are said to make a good sub-acid jelly[4]. Th flowers are sometimes simply pickled by adding salt and chili[10]. Caution is advised, large quantities can cause intoxication[6][4].

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The young leaves are astringent and poultice[3]. They are made into a pasteand then applied to the forehead in the treatment of headaches[8][10]. The juice of the bark is used in the treatment of coughs, diarrhoea and dysentery[10]. A decoction of the flowers is used to check a tendency to vomit, especially if there is also a loss of appetite[10]. The juice of the flowers is used in the treatment of menstrual disorders[10]. The petals are eaten to assist the removal of any animal bones that have become stuck in the throat[9].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Poultice
Product or use
Stomachic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The juice of the leaves is spread over cots and beds to get rid of bed lice[10]. Wood - soft, even grained, seasons badly. Used in turnery, it can also be used to make charcoal and for fuel[11][3]. Th wood is much employed in Nepal where it is used for making household implements, building small houses and fences[10]. Planks of the wood are carved to make boxes, cupboards and other furniture[10]. It is a very good fuel, burning well with a long-lasting heat - overcollection of the wod for fuel, and also for making charcoal, has become a cause for conservation concern[10].

Product or use
Charcoal
Product or use
Fuel
Product or use
Wood
Product or use
Repellent

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Himalayas to Sri Lanka.
Habitat
Forests and shrubberies with Pieris ovalifolia and Quercus incana, 1500 - 3600 metres from Pakistan to S.E. Tibet in the Himalayas[11].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
very acid, acid
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the autumn and given artificial light. Alternatively sow the seed in a lightly shaded part of the warm greenhouse in late winter or in a cold greenhouse in April. Surface-sow the seed and do not allow the compost to become dry[7]. Pot up the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a greenhouse for at least the first winter. Layering in late July. Takes 15 - 24 months[12]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, August in a frame. Difficult[12].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in most humus rich lime free soils except those of a dry arid nature or heavy or clayey[1]. Prefers a peaty or well-drained sandy loam[1]. Succeeds in sun or shade, the warmer the climate the more shade a plant requires[7]. Requires a pH between 4.5 and 5.5[7]. Hardy to between -10 and -15°c, the pink flowered form is hardier than the red[5]. Succeeds in a woodland though, because of its surface-rooting habit[7], it does not compete well with surface-rooting trees[1]. Plants need to be kept well weeded, they dislike other plants growing over or into their root system, in particular they grow badly with ground cover plants, herbaceous plants and heathers[7]. There are many named varieties selected for their ornamental value[7]. Plants form a root ball and are very tolerant of being transplanted, even when quite large, so long as the root ball is kept intact[7]. This plant is the national flower of Nepal[11]. The flowers are sold in local markets and used as offerings to the Gods and Godesses[10]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is not very hardy outdoors in much of Britain, but grows well in the milder areas of the country[1]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press 1945-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  5. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30258-2

    ↩

  6. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  8. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  9. Vanderplank. J. Passion Flowers Cassell. London. 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34076-6

    ↩

  10. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11

  11. Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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