Rhododendron nudipes var. nudipes ("Saigokumitsubatsutsuji")

Japanese name: サイゴクミツバツツジ （西国三葉躑躅）
Scientific name: Rhododendron nudipes var. nudipes

[Overview]
A deciduous shrub 1.5–2 m tall, found on ridges and rocky places in the mountains.
Young branches and petioles are hairless.
The leaves are simple, borne in threes in whorl-like fashion at the branch tips, rhombic-elliptic to rhombic-ovate, 5–10 cm long and 3–5 cm wide, with an abruptly pointed apex that bears a glandular projection.
The underside of the leaf has sparse coarse hairs, and soft hairs grow densely at the base of the main vein.
The petiole is 0.3–0.5 cm long.
It flowers before the leaves unfold or at almost the same time, with 1–3 flowers at the branch tips.
The flowers are reddish purple and 3–4 cm across, and the corolla is funnel-shaped with 5 lobes.
The upper inner side of the corolla has dark spots.
There are 10 stamens of unequal length.
White soft hairs grow densely on the margin of the calyx.
The fruit is a distorted, slender cylindrical capsule with sparse coarse hairs.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
Cuttings are also possible, although the rooting rate is very poor.
It prefers fertile, acidic soil that is sunny, well drained and moisture-retentive.
Avoid dry places, or prevent the base of the plant from drying out by mulching or similar means.
For potted plants, from spring to autumn place them 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 plants in the ground, a spot in the shade of deciduous trees is good.
For potted plants, from autumn to spring water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, and in midsummer water twice a day, in the cool morning and evening, so that the leaves are also wetted.
For plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient except in summer; in summer, water in the cool morning or evening so that the leaves are also wetted, and in winter, if dry weather continues, water in the morning on a warm day.
Fertilize three times in total, with fertilizer in winter, fertilizer after flowering, and again in autumn, applying organic fertilizer or a slow-release chemical fertilizer with equal parts of the three components around the plant.
Do not prune; at most, rub off excess buds in early summer after flowering to tidy the shape.
Remove spent flowers promptly.
Pests and diseases include spider mites, the azalea lace bug (Tsutsuji-gunbai-mushi) and Benimon-aoringa.

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