The Dawes Arboretum

Common name: Balta rhododendron

Family: Ericaceae (heath family)

Distribution: hybrid: Weston (Mezitt) hybrid

Hardiness: USDA Zone 5

Life form: Evergreen shrub

Comments: This evergreen rhododendron is a lepidote selection. This means it has smaller leaves with scales. It is one of the many Mezitt hybrids out of the R. dauricum/minus hybrid group with outstanding qualities. Pale purple flowers fade to white and brighten up the landscape in early May. Small-leaf (lepidote) rhododendrons need less winter protection than their large-leaf cousins do.