The 2022 garden season will be extra cheerful! There is a new garden plant:Happydendron. As the name suggests, it is a rhododendron, but a very special one. In contrast to other varieties, the Happydendron makes very few demands on site or soil. So you have a fresh green plant year after year that also blooms exuberantly in May and June. The spectacular (and nectar-rich) flowers are tricolor:white with a purple border and a yellow center. The Happydendron has won various international awards and will be available in the Netherlands for the first time from spring.
While most rhododendrons have specific requirements for the soil, Happydendron does not. It is suitable for almost any nutrient-rich soil because the plant is grafted on a lime-tolerant rootstock. The particularly strong root system ensures that the food can be easily absorbed. This translates into a very strong plant that flowers profusely.
The unique flowers of the Happydendron appear in May and are tricoloured. They are white but have a deep purple border and a yellow heart. The pink stamen provides a fourth color accent. Flowering can continue until the end of June. Bumblebees and other pollinators like to visit the nectar-rich flowers.
Happydendron feels at home in the garden (large and small) but also in pots on the balcony or terrace. A spot is easily found, because the plant can be placed in full sun as well as in partial shade. When you put Happydendron in a pot, make sure there is good drainage. A hole in the bottom allows excess (irrigation) water to drain away and prevents the plant from getting 'wet feet'. Happydendron is very resistant to cold winters (down to -24 degrees Celsius) and it retains its green appearance even then. That is why the plant is a pleasant hiding place for birds and hedgehogs in winter.
The Happydendron hardly needs any care. It is of course important to water the plant in warm and dry periods. To stimulate a rich and long flowering period, give some plant food in the spring (April). Only take the pruning shears after flowering (July) to remove the spent flowers and possibly reshape the plant.
The Happydendron will be available from April in various pot sizes at garden centers and online from € 30.00.
Photo credit:Happydendron
