Rhododendron Splendor

Day 227: During the first few years of its life, my poor rhododendron had a ruminant problem. The elk and deer would nip off the flower buds during the winter when other browse was scarce. Strangely, they never seemed to bother the ancient rhody in my neighbour's yard, and now, for the last four or five years, they've left mine alone. In any event, it's still not very tall, but it's my personal opinion that you're not a true Washingtonian if you don't have at least one rhododendron in your yard. It's our state flower (the pink/white Pacific Rhododendron, anyway). In fact, there are several species of rhododendron here, although unless you are familiar with them, you would probably think they belonged in a different genus because they look very little like the garden plant. Some never get above knee-height, and one has bell-shaped flowers and small leaves which gave rise to its common name of False Huckleberry. Still, it is the vigorous and showy shrub which can attain heights up to 20 feet which Washingtonians know best, and whether native or cultivated, spring finds our yards and lowland forests massed with rhododendron splendor.