Rhododendrons: moving a rhododendron

hi, i have a 5yr old rhodo that has survived winter here in edmonton, zone3a. i need to move it and am wondering if fall is the best time? it has lots of buds for next spring and am wondering if they will survive. lallie

 

Wait until end of winter.

 

Keeping a Rhododendron alive in Edmonton for 5 years is quite the feat, it must be an extremely hardy type.

Do you happen to know whether it is a species or a hybrid, and perhaps the name of your plant?

 

hi chris, it is a PG. it has pink flowers. i think the tag said it was hardy to zone4. sorry i have no other details. do you have any thoughts on moving it fall or spring?

 

lallie, what does "PG" stand for?

 

Probably 'P.J.M.'

 

Ron,

as you may know, Rhododendron 'P.J.M.' is a group (grex), resulting from Ed Mezitt's first attempt at hybridizing in 1939. It is a hybrid between R. minus Carolinianum Group x R. dauricum Sempervirens Group and he named it after his father, Peter J. Mezitt.

Superior selections made in the 1960s resulted in the release of R. 'PJM Elite', R. 'PJM Regal' and R. 'PJM Victor'.

The hardiness of this group is rated at -32° C (-25° F), that would be borderline for Edmonton.

Since all members of this group are described as purple or lavender, I have some doubts it is R. 'PJM', but it could be, I would not call R. 'PJM' pink though.

I've attached a picture of R. 'PJM' in my yard in Langley, taken March 29, 2003.

A picture would be of great help here.

 

Someone said that it's a feat to keep Rhododendron alive in that part of Alberta.

What is it about the climate that makes it so difficult?

In our area, the Rhododendrons in the forests, commonly grow on the mountains where temperatures are quite cold, and the snow covers them for months.

But south in the Redwoods, the Rhodendrons are in much milder weather.

Is Alberta's wind and temperature too cold for most of them?

 

Yes, it can get down to 40 below zero Fahr, esp. on winter nights.

 

Why Rhodos & Alberta are not ideal for each other.
- Rhodos like summer humidity & cool summer high temps.
- They need consistently moist, hummous rich acidic soil.
- Frozen winter soil speeds leaf dessication
- Winter lows <-30ºC can damage the buds & stems
- Winter sun will burn the leaves.
- No late spring frosts

Each of the six points outlines a requirement for Rhodos that Edmonton doesn't really offer naturally. Through irrigation & winter protection, getting a Rhodo (even PJM)through an Edmonton year is possible but you're never going to see them spreading wild through the forest. The Nothern Lights Azaleas are a little easier....

That said, the horticultural diversity in Edmonton is increasing rapidly because of both global warming & testing limits. Gardeners are discovering that plants thought to be good for warmer zones can grow well in Edmonton.

The UofA Devonion gardens is helping change convention as well as Holes nursery and others. Who would have believed that Ohio Buckeye & European Horsechesnut would grow on the southern edge of the boreal forest?

Simon

 

mostly it's matter of lack of water during winter... that is why cold and winds dry up the plants... ;O)