Rhododendron yakushimanum Polaris
Rhododendron yakushimanum Polaris
Rhododendron yakushimanum Polaris
Yakushima rhododendron
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Description
Rhododendron yakushimanum Polaris is a bush hybrid with a compact habit awarded an Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society in England. Its carmine-red floral buds open in May into pinkish-purple bell-shaped flowers, with dark edges, lighter pink towards the centre. It blooms abundantly from a young age on a small, rounded bush covered with small shiny dark green leaves. A bright bush, perfect for easily dressing up a small shaded area in the garden, in an acid soil bed, as a border or in a pot.
Rhododendrons are plants from the Ericaceae family, like heathers, mostly preferring limestone-free, slightly acidic soils and humid climates. Rhododendron yakushimanum Polaris forms a dense, rounded bush of about 1.20 m in all directions at maturity. Its growth is rather slow. Its small, persistent, leathery, shiny dark green leaves are elliptical and cover the plant well. Flowering occurs in May. Grouped in corymbs, the carmine red floral buds open into funnel-shaped flowers 6 cm wide. The edges of the petals are pinkish-purple while the interior is lighter.
Like all yakushimanum hybrids, affectionately called "rhodos yak" by specialists, Rhododendron Polaris is very hardy. It can withstand temperatures down to -25°C. Although they prefer partial shade, these hybrids can tolerate the sun as long as it is not scorching (morning sun) and their base remains cool. Polaris, with its abundant and vividly coloured flowering, will easily enhance a slightly shaded small area of the garden, alongside Ferns, blue or variegated hostas, Pieris, Azaleas and Japanese Maples, or other rhododendrons from the same group to create superb patchworks of textures and colours in spring. Container cultivation requires regular watering with non-limestone water and specific fertiliser inputs for acid-loving plants.
Plant habit
Flowering
Foliage
Botanical data
Rhododendron
yakushimanum
Polaris
Ericaceae
Yakushima rhododendron
Cultivar or hybrid
Planting and care
Plant Rhododendron yakushimanum Polaris in a semi-shaded position, sheltered from cold and drying winds, in moist, humus-rich, and light soil, with a tendency towards acidity (pH between 4.5 and 6). Like all ericaceous plants, it does not tolerate limestone soils, drought, heatwaves, or heavy soils saturated with water in winter. If the soil remains moist in summer, this rhododendron will also tolerate exposure to non-scorching sun.
Dig a hole three times larger than the pot volume. Soak the root ball in non-limestone water and plant the bush at the neck level, in a mixture composed of 1/4 peat, leaf compost, gravel or pumice, and loam. Water generously and keep the soil moist in summer. Azaleas and Rhododendrons have a shallow root system. Therefore, they are sensitive to long periods of drought. This is why humus-rich soil and abundant watering during dry periods are recommended. Additionally, this shallow root system is not very strong, hence it is essential to lighten heavy soils with draining materials (gravel, pumice, clay balls) at planting. Apply a mulch of crushed pine bark at the base of the bush every spring to retain soil moisture while maintaining an acidic pH.
Maintenance involves removing faded flowers in summer and removing dead branches. Azaleas and Rhododendrons can sometimes be attacked by vine weevils that eat the edges of the leaves and rootlets, as well as by the famous "rhododendron borer," which does not usually cause severe damage. Effective organic solutions are available today against vine weevils. Leaf yellowing (chlorosis) in Rhododendron indicates poor iron assimilation in the soil and leads to premature plant death. While limestone (from the soil or watering water) is often the cause, poorly drained soil or deeply planted root balls can also explain the phenomenon.
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).
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 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.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.
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