Millais Nurseries
Big Leaved Rhododendrons
Wonderful architectural plants with huge leaves up to 60cm long! These are choice woodland Rhododendrons needing the very best sheltered positions to allow them to grow to their full stature of up to 5 metres. As a bonus, flowering will typically start after 6 years.
Big leaved Rhododendrons are among the more tender of our range, but are well worth trying if you have the correct conditions. They are best suited to sheltered woodland in the milder regions of the UK, though they can also be used as feature plants in sheltered courtyard gardens. Winter protection is recommended for young plants.
Rhododendron arizelum (Seed of F25627)
Attractive large campanulate flowers in shades of yellow, pink or white, with or without a dark crimson blotch. April or May flowering. This plant makes a wonderful small foliage tree with dark green obovate to oblanceolate leaves up to 22cm long. The upper surface of the leaves are shiny with semi persistent indumentum, with a thick fawn or cinnamon velvety indumentum on the underside. Height 150-175cm...
Rhododendron calophytum AGM (seed raised)
This plant has wonderful loose white or pale pink flowers with a deep reddish blotch and spots. Flowering in March-April it has exceptional large bright green leaves up to 36cm long. It will develop into an umbrella shaped tree. Height 150cm in 10 years. Big leaf Rhododendron species have great architectural foliage which looks stunning in a woodland setting or city courtyard garden. However, the lovely...
Rhododendron montroseanum
Beautiful pink flowers with a crimson blotch flowering in March. This is a wonderful foliage plant for milder gardens with dark green shiny leaves up to 45cm long with whitish indumentum on the underside. Young growth is particularly attractive. Height 150cm in 10 years. Please note this is one of the more tender of the large leaved species and really does need good shelter from wind and cold.Named...
Rhododendron rex AGM
Wonderful pale rose or white flowers with a crimson blotch in April-May on a plant that will eventually make a small tree. One of our favourites, it has 30-40cm shiny dark green leaves with a pale buff woolly indumentum beneath. Height 150-180cm in 10 years. Awarded the AGM in 2013, this is one of the toughest and most reliable of all big leaved species.
Big leaved rhododendrons have great architectural...
Rhododendron Rexima
(H5) An interesting foliage plant, combining the winning traits of R. yakushimanum and R. rex. Lilac pink in bud, opening white with a dark red basal blotch and markings in May. Large dark green leaves with brown indumentum on the undersides, which have been inherited from the big leaved R. rex, but growing in a useful compact habit due its yakushimanum parentage. Height 100-125cm in 10 years.
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Rhododendron semnoides
This is a rare plant with superb creamy white flowers flushed rose in April. The lower surface of the large leaves (up to 25cm) are covered with whitish to buff indumentum. It may be a natural hybrid between R. praestans and R. arizelum. Height 150cm in 10 years. Big leaf Rhododendron species have great architectural foliage which looks stunning in a woodland glade or city courtyard garden. However,...
Rhododendron sinofalconeri
(H5) Beautiful pale or rich yellow flowers in April. This species is proving surprisingly hardy in UK gardens. A handsome species with pale indumentum on the underside of the large leaves (up to 28cm long) and distinctive conical buds on young growth. Height 150cm in 10 years.
Big leaf Rhododendron species have great architectural foliage which looks stunning in a woodland glade or city courtyard...
Rhododendron suoilenhense (seedlings from AC 4458)
Picture of a 3 litre plant for illustrative purposes only
(GRANDIA H4-5) Recently collected from Vietnam. Creamy white campanulate flowers with maroon basal flashes, in a rounded truss, April. Large foliage with indumentum on older leaves. Early intoductions to the UK have produced tall, majestic and fast growing trees when grown in good conditions. Full hardiness is not confirmed yet, but it seems...
Rhododendron uvariifolium 'Reginald Childs'
Pretty pinky white bell shaped flowers, with a dark central blotch in a large truss of 12 to 18 flowers, in March - April. This is a handsome foliage plant with silvery woolly indumentum on the underside of the leaves and wonderful silver new growth. Height 150-180 cm in 10 years. A choice clone of R. uvariifolium introduced by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Wakehurst Place, and registered in 1976.
Sometimes...