R. maximum

Species

Botanical Synonyms	R. ashleyi ( Coker ) R. fragrans R. latifolium ( Hoffmanns ) R. maximum var album R. maximum var purpureum ( Pursh ) R. procerum ( Salisb. ) R. purpureum ( Pursh ) R. purshii ( G.Don )
Synonyms	R. 'Great Laurel' R. 'Great Rhododendron' R. 'Rosebay'
Subgenus	Hymenanthes
Section	Pontica
Subsection	Pontica
Introduced	1763
First Described	1753 ( L. )
Origin	E. North America, Georgia to Nova Scotia 0-900 meter
Epiphytic/Terrestrial	terrestrial
Mature Wild Height	300 cm. (10ft.)
Bloom Time	?
Flower	campanulate
Flower Color	white
Fragrance	?
Leaves	ovate-lanceolate
Leaf persistence	Evergreen
Plant Hardiness	-15 C (5 F)
Flower Bud Hardiness	?
Additional Hardiness Info	H5

Title R. maximum Photo By Harold Fearing Location Fearing's Farm Nursery, Abbotsford, BC, Canada License CC BY-SA 4.0 Attribution Text: Harold Fearing via Rhododendra.com, CC BY-SA 4.0 Sizes small 768 x 558, 24 KB medium 1600 x 1162, 88 KB Full 3096 x 2248, 930 KB Description Seed Lot: RSF-96-063 Seed Comments: 75/137 'Mt.Mitchell' x 83/192 'compactum'
Title R. maximum Photo By Harold Fearing Location Fearing's Farm Nursery, Abbotsford, BC, Canada License CC BY-SA 4.0 Attribution Text: Harold Fearing via Rhododendra.com, CC BY-SA 4.0 Sizes small 768 x 596, 41 KB medium 1600 x 1242, 138 KB Full 3071 x 2383, 3.3 MB Description ARS-96-63
Title R. maximum Photo By Harold Fearing Location Fearing's Farm Nursery, Abbotsford, BC, Canada License CC BY-SA 4.0 Attribution Text: Harold Fearing via Rhododendra.com, CC BY-SA 4.0 Sizes small 768 x 1078, 39 KB medium 1600 x 2246, 139 KB Full 2343 x 3290, 1.6 MB Description Red form
Title R. maximum Photo By Harold Fearing Date Taken June 25, 2020 Location Fearing's Farm Nursery, Abbotsford, BC, Canada License CC BY-SA 4.0 Attribution Text: Harold Fearing via Rhododendra.com, CC BY-SA 4.0 Sizes small 768 x 1024, 70 KB medium 1600 x 2134, 273 KB Full 3712 x 4948, 4.8 MB Description Seed Lot: RSF-96-063 Seed Comments: 75/137 'Mt.Mitchell' x 83/192 'compactum'
Title R. maximum Photo By Harold Fearing Location Fearing's Farm Nursery, Abbotsford, BC, Canada License CC BY-SA 4.0 Attribution Text: Harold Fearing via Rhododendra.com, CC BY-SA 4.0 Sizes small 768 x 1092, 53 KB medium 1600 x 2276, 184 KB Full 2331 x 3317, 3.5 MB
Title R. maximum Photo By Harold Fearing Location Fearing's Farm Nursery, Abbotsford, BC, Canada License CC BY-SA 4.0 Attribution Text: Harold Fearing via Rhododendra.com, CC BY-SA 4.0 Sizes small 768 x 600, 32 KB medium 1600 x 1250, 110 KB Full 3149 x 2460, 3.1 MB
Title R. maximum Photo By Thatrhodylady Date Taken June 27, 2026 Location Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden License CC BY 4.0 Attribution Text: Thatrhodylady via Rhododendra.com, CC BY 4.0 Sizes small 648 x 1152, 51 KB medium 1350 x 2400, 221 KB Full 2296 x 4080, 2.5 MB Description R. maximum plum pink flowers starting to open.
Title R. maximum Photo By Thatrhodylady Date Taken June 27, 2026 Location Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden License CC BY 4.0 Attribution Text: Thatrhodylady via Rhododendra.com, CC BY 4.0 Sizes small 648 x 1152, 59 KB medium 1350 x 2400, 239 KB Full 2296 x 4080, 2.7 MB Description R. maximum flowers and reddish purple midrib on the underside of the leaf.
Title R. maximum Photo By Thatrhodylady Date Taken June 27, 2026 Location Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden License CC BY 4.0 Attribution Text: Thatrhodylady via Rhododendra.com, CC BY 4.0 Sizes small 648 x 1152, 64 KB medium 1350 x 2400, 268 KB Full 2296 x 4080, 2.8 MB Description R. maximum plum pink flowers.
Title maximum Photo By Coen Zonneveld Date Taken July 7, 2002 Location Private garden, Diepenveen, Netherlands License Copyright, Coen Zonneveld. Sizes small 768 x 614, 51 KB medium 1200 x 959, 261 KB
Title maximum Photo By Jens Birck Date Taken September 30, 2007 Location Boulderwood, Nova Scotia, Canada License Copyright, Jens Birck. Sizes small 768 x 924, 81 KB medium 1200 x 1445, 384 KB Description maximum red form aka 'Red Max'
Title maximum Photo By Coen Zonneveld Date Taken June 21, 2009 Location Private garden, Diepenveen, Netherlands License Copyright, Coen Zonneveld. Sizes small
Title maximum Photo By Peter Norris Date Taken July 13, 2013 Location Private garden on Martha’s Vineyard, MA USA z7 License Copyright, Peter Norris. Sizes small 768 x 576, 141 KB medium 1200 x 900, 673 KB Description maximum 'Leachii'pronounced curly foliage
Title maximum Photo By Everard Daniel Date Taken July 2004 Location License Copyright, Everard Daniel. Sizes small 768 x 576, 26 KB medium 1200 x 900, 170 KB Description maximum 'Summertime'
Title maximum Photo By Peter Norris Date Taken Location Private garden on Martha’s Vineyard, MA USA z7 License Copyright, Peter Norris. Sizes small 768 x 576, 60 KB medium 1200 x 900, 394 KB Description maximum 'Independence'