Rhododendron Tortoiseshell Yellow
Rhododendron Tortoiseshell Yellow
Rhododendron 'Tortoiseshell Yellow'
Hybrid Rhododendron
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Description
Rhododendron 'Tortoiseshell Yellow' is a charming hybrid with 'champagne' flowering, a soft yellow tinged with pink on the edges in May or June, depending on the climate. Naturally dense and evergreen in winter, this acidic soil shrub can be grown in the garden or in a large container on a slightly shaded terrace. Its rather late flowering extends the rhododendron season.
This rhododendron belongs to the Ericaceae family. It is part of the 'Tortoiseshell group', a series of British hybrids created in the mid-20th century, attributed to the W.C. Slocock nursery (UK, 1940s). The cultivar 'Tortoiseshell Yellow' is often offered under the synonym 'Tortoiseshell Champagne'. The main botanical species used in this series is Rhododendron griersonianum, native to the mid-altitude forests of Yunnan and northern Burma (Myanmar). It was crossed with horticultural hybrids bearing orange-yellow flowers.
The habit of this variety is rather domed, slightly upright, the plant tending to broaden with age. Its growth is slow to moderate. In open ground, its height at 10 years ranges from 1.40 m to 1.60 m, with a spread comparable to slightly larger (1.50 to 2 m). Eventually, it can reach 2 m in height under optimal conditions. In a large pot, the shrub will not exceed 0.90 m to 1.20 m in height and width after several years of cultivation. It forms a thin root system, fibrous and shallow, very sensitive to excess lime and compact soils. The stems are woody from the base, their grey-brown bark becoming smooth then finely scaly with age.
The foliage is evergreen in winter: the leaves are leathery, ovate to oblanceolate, 10–14 cm long and 3–5 cm wide. Their colour is medium to dark green on the surface, paler on the underside.
Flowering occurs from late May to June in the form of inflorescences containing 8 to 12 flowers. Each flower, in the shape of a flared funnel, measures 7–8 cm in diameter. It opens in pale yellow, with a deeper yellow centre, a pinkish margin; the throat may show slight speckling.
This rhododendron requires an acidic soil (pH 4.5 to 6), rich in humus, moist but well-drained, a position in filtered light, in the gentle morning sun, sheltered from cold and drying winds. Its hardiness is around −15 °C.
Plant 'Tortoiseshell Yellow' in an acid soil bed, in front of classic camellias or late large rhododendrons. In a container, choose a pot at least 50–60 cm in diameter. Pair it, for example, with Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’ and woodland ferns. Its soft yellow colour pairs perfectly with the creamy apricot-salmon tones of Rhododendron ‘Percy Wiseman’, the rosy white of ‘Cunningham’s White’ and the light yellow of 'Gedser Gold'.
The Tortoiseshell series helped popularise, in the United Kingdom, a whole palette of rhododendrons in yellow, salmon and orange tones from the 1940s–1950s, a period of intense selection that produced several cultivars still distributed today.
Rhododendron Tortoiseshell Yellow in pictures
Plant habit
Flowering
Foliage
Botanical data
Rhododendron
'Tortoiseshell Yellow'
Ericaceae
Hybrid Rhododendron
Rhododendron (Tortoiseshell Group) ‘Champagne’, Rhododendron 'Tortoiseshell Champagne'
Cultivar or hybrid
Planting and care
Plant Rhododendron 'Tortoiseshell Yellow' in a partially shaded spot, sheltered from cold, drying winds, in a moist, humus-bearing, light soil that is acidic to neutral. As with all ericaceous plants, it does not tolerate chalky soils or heavy, waterlogged soils in winter. If the soil remains moist in summer, this rhododendron will also tolerate non-scorching sun exposure. Avoid planting at its base, as its shallow roots do not compete well with other plants, particularly for water.
Dig a hole three times the volume of the pot. Soak the root ball in non-chalky water and plant the shrub at collar level in a mixture made up of 1/4 peat, leaf mould, gravel or pozzolana, and loam. Water generously and keep the soil moist in summer. Azaleas and Rhododendrons have a limited root system; consequently, they do not tolerate long dry periods. This is why a soil enriched with humus and abundant watering during dry spells is recommended. Moreover, this root system is not very strong, making it essential to lighten heavy soils with drainage materials (gravel, pozzolana, clay pellets) at planting time. Apply a mulch of shredded pine bark at the base of the shrub each spring to maintain soil moisture while keeping an acidic pH.
Maintenance consists simply of deadheading faded flowers in summer and removing dead branches. Azaleas and Rhododendrons can sometimes be attacked by vine weevils, which eat the leaf edges and rootlets, as well as by the famous rhododendron lace bug, which rarely causes significant damage. Effective organic solutions are now available against vine weevils. Yellowing of the leaves (chlorosis) in Rhododendrons indicates poor iron uptake in the soil and leads to the premature death of the plant. While chalk is often the cause, poorly drained soil or a root ball planted too deep can also explain the phenomenon.
Rhododendrons truly thrive in cool climates, planted in acid soil and in a humid atmosphere. Their cultivation in warmer, drier climates is generally doomed to failure in the long term, despite all efforts to acclimatise them.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
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The flowering period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, etc.)
It will vary according to where you live:
- In zones 9 to 10 (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), flowering will occur about 2 to 4 weeks earlier.
- In zones 6 to 7 (Germany, Poland, Slovenia, and lower mountainous regions), flowering will be delayed by 2 to 3 weeks.
- In zone 5 (Central Europe, Scandinavia), blooming will be delayed by 3 to 5 weeks.
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands).
It will vary according to where you live:
- In Mediterranean zones (Marseille, Madrid, Milan, etc.), autumn and winter are the best planting periods.
- In continental zones (Strasbourg, Munich, Vienna, etc.), delay planting by 2 to 3 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 2 to 4 weeks in autumn.
- In mountainous regions (the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians, etc.), it is best to plant in late spring (May-June) or late summer (August-September).
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.