Rhododendron keiskei var. keiskei ("Hikagetsutsuji")

Japanese name: ヒカゲツツジ （日陰躑躅）
Scientific name: Rhododendron keiskei var. keiskei

[Overview]
An evergreen shrub 1–2 m tall, growing on ridges and rocky areas along mountain streams, and often found in rather poorly sunlit places.
It branches freely, and the thin branches spread out sideways.
Young branches and leaf stalks bear long hairs and scale-like hairs, and the long hairs later fall off.
The leaves are simple and alternate, clustered at the branch tips in a whorl-like arrangement; they are 3–8 cm long and 0.8–2 cm wide, oblong to lanceolate with pointed tips, and bear scale-like hairs on both surfaces, especially densely on the underside.
The leaf stalk is 0.2–0.4 cm long.
The branch tips bear 2–4 flowers.
The flowers are pale yellow tinged with yellowish green and 4–5 cm across; the corolla is funnel-shaped and 5-lobed.
The upper inner surface of the corolla has dark spots.
There are 10 stamens.
The fruit is a capsule rather densely covered with scale-like hairs.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
It prefers fertile, acidic, well-drained, well-ventilated soil.
Avoid dry places, or prevent the base of the plant from drying out by mulching or similar means.
From spring to autumn it is best placed in partial shade out of the afternoon sun and direct summer sunlight, and from autumn to spring in a sunny spot sheltered from cold wind; for planting in the ground, a place shaded by deciduous trees is good.
For potted plants, from autumn to spring water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, and in midsummer water twice, in the cool morning and evening, wetting the leaves as well.
For plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient except in summer; in summer water in the cool morning or evening, wetting the leaves as well, and in winter, if dry weather continues, water in the morning of a warm day.
Apply organic fertilizer around the plant as fertilizer in winter.
Do not prune; tidy the shape by removing excess buds in spring to early summer.
Remove spent flowers promptly.

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