Cork azalea (Rhododendron quinquefolium)
Description
“Pet poisonous” – Toxic parts: entire plant Rhododendron quinquefolium is a deciduous shrub from the heath family ( Ericaceae ). The species name quinquefolium means: 'five leaves'. In English the species is called "Cork azalea" (= kurkazalea) because of the corky bark. In Japan the plant is called 'Goyo'. The plant occurs naturally in Japan on the islands of Honshu and Shikoku , where the species grows mainly in ravines in shaded areas. The plant occurs in Japan at altitudes up to 3000 m. The species often grows in places where Rhododendron pentaphyllum and Rhododendron degronianum also occur. The bush forms a compact plant, which can grow to 5-6 m in the wild. The species therefore belongs to the higher Rhododendron species. At sea level in the Benelux the species usually does not exceed 1-2 m. Young twigs are fires but later become bare. The 5 x 3.5 cm large leaves are or appear to be hand-shaped. This differs rhododendron quinquefolium from other species of the same genus. The leaves appear in April simultaneously with the flowers. They grow at the end of the twigs. The leaves have a hairy midrib. Young leaves are olive green in April, but soon have a pink to pinkish pink margin, which almost gives them the appearance of flowers. In autumn, the leaves become ruby red.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Ericales
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Family: Ericaceae
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Genus: Rhododendron
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