Towhead Rhododendron

Light Needs

Full Shade to Partial Sun

(0 - 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-3 Feet

Mature Spread

3-4 Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 8

With full, dense growth and a compact form, Towhead Rhododendron can fill a landscape with its stunning display of soft yellow flowers. That’s just in its blooming time, beginning in late April. The evergreen shrub also displays bronze leaves in winter, so this is a plant that will provide color and interest all year in your landscape. It grows to 1 to 3 feet high and 3 or 4 feet wide. 

Plant several as a low border, along a sidewalk, for instance. Or place one of these beauties in a container or as the front showpiece in a garden bed. The low-maintenance shrub can grow in partial shade and requires little help to grow and bloom. Those light yellow flowers are each about 1.5 inches in diameter, and appear in clusters of up to five flowers each. It is hardy in cool zones (down to 5) and in warmth up to zone 8.

Towhead Rhododendron Care

Plant Towhead Rhododendron in early fall or early spring in warm areas of the country, but spring is the best choice for areas with cold winters. It grows well in part shade, and will flower best with at least 4 hours of sunlight a day. The shrub prefers fertile soil that drains well. Add some organic matter but try to balance the soil pH to maintain the acid the plant loves. 

Your rhododendron needs average water, maybe a little more in its first year. Water deeply and consistently to avoid either dried-out soil or soggy soil. Container-grown plants might need more water than those in the ground. If the soil is not very fertile, feed it with an azalea food each spring. Prune the shrub after it has finished blooming. Lightly prune to remove dead branches or shape the small plant. There is no need to deadhead faded flowers.

Towhead Rhododendron Spacing

Plant Towhead Rhododendrons about 3 feet apart when creating a border, and about 4 feet from other plants. They spread some, but remain compact.