Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
It’s tough yet dainty, with papery purple flowers filling a compact evergreen shrub. Purple Gem Rhododendron is a gorgeous addition to a garden bed or border. Smaller than many rhododendrons, Purple Gem grows to less than 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide, so it serves as an excellent year-round ground cover. In winter, it’s attractive enough with its dense cover of small green leaves. But beginning in May, it explodes with a purple color that nearly hides the foliage beneath.
The color and dense growth combine to make this plant excellent for a low border or just to fill a garden bed. This rhododendron can take the cold of zone 5 and heat up to zone 8. In addition, this is an easy-care plant that only needs partial sunlight. There is no need to remove flowers once they fade. Enjoy the rush of color to welcome late spring in your landscape with Purple Gem Rhododendron.
Purple Gem Rhododendron Care
Plant your rhododendron in a shady or partly sunny area (about 4 hours of sun a day or less) for best results in spring or early fall. Choose soil that drains well and mulch (about a 3-inch layer) after planting to help retain moisture around the plant. Rhododendrons prefer acidic soil, so amend with sulfur or another additive as needed. It prefers a slow soak of water that will reach deeply into the soil.
Fertilize your shrub in the spring with a 6-10-14 fertilizer. Prune the plant for shape after it is done flowering, cutting off faded flower stems. If the plant becomes larger than planned, you can prune it to only a foot or so above the ground every few years to rejuvenate the shrub. Cut back on watering in winter and replace mulch as needed in late fall.
Purple Gem Rhododendron Spacing
Space Purple Gem Rhododendron about 3 feet apart when planted as a border. Consider their low height when placing them behind or before other plants.
Purple Gem Rhododendron Plant Facts
Growing Conditions
- Hardiness ZonesGrowing Zones
- USDA Zones 5 to 8 (perennial); grown as an annual elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown indoors elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown in containers elsewhere (grown as a seasonal crop)
- Sun Exposure
- Full Shade to Part Sun (0-6 Hours Direct Sun)
- Mature Height
- 2-3 Feet
- Mature Spread
- 3-4 Feet
- Growth Habit
- , Upright
- Water Needs
- Consistently Moist
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , Purple
- Flower Description
- Purple
- Bloom Time
- Early Spring
- Blooms On
-
Old Wood
?
"Blooms on" tells you which stems produce flowers, which decides when it's safe to prune.
- New Wood: Flowers form on stems that grow this season. Prune in late winter or early spring without losing blooms.
- Old Wood: Flower buds form on last year's stems. Prune right after flowering. Pruning in fall or early spring removes next year's blooms.
- Both New and Old Wood: Blooms on last year's stems and again on new growth, so it flowers even after a hard winter or a mistimed pruning. Prune lightly after the first flush of blooms.
- When to Prune
- Right after flowering
- Foliage Color
- , Green
- Foliage Description
- Green
- Foliage Type
- , Evergreen
- Seasonal Interest
- , Spring Flowering
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- Purple Gem Rhododendron
- Botanical Name
- RHODODENDRON X 'PURPLE GEM'
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
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Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
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