Rhododendron albrechtii

Rhododendron albrechtii is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae.^[1] It is endemic to Japanese temperate rainforests. Native of central and northern Japan; described from specimens collected in the 1860s by Michael Albrecht of the Russian Consulate at Hakodate, for whom the species is named.^[2][3]

Rhododendron albrechtii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Rhododendron
Species:	R. albrechtii
Binomial name
Rhododendron albrechtii Maxim., 1871
Synonyms
Azalea albrechtii (Maxim.) Kuntze Rhododendron albrechtii f. albiflorum T.Yamaz. Rhododendron albrechtii f. canescens Sugim.

Description

Rhododendron albrechtii is a deciduous shrub growing up to 4 feet tall.^[4] The leaves often arranged in clusters of five. Pink and magenta flowers bloom in early spring in clusters of three to five.^[5][2]

Distribution and habitat

Rhododendron albrechtii thrives in cold, sub-alpine zones in the rainforests of Honshu and Hokkaido. It is cultivated in Europe.^[2]

Ecology

This rhododendron seems to prefer woodland conditions.^[2]