''Rhododendron albrechtii'' is a species of flowering plant in the family

Ericaceae The Ericaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions. The family is large, with c.4250 known species spread across 124 genera, making it th ...

. It is endemic to Japanese temperate rainforests. Native of central and northern Japan; described from specimens collected in the 1860s by Michael Albrecht of the Russian Consulate at Hakodate, for whom the species is named.

Description

''Rhododendron albrechtii'' is a deciduous shrub growing up to 4 feet tall. The leaves often arranged in clusters of five. Pink and magenta flowers bloom in early spring in clusters of three to five.

Distribution and habitat

''Rhododendron albrechtii'' thrives in cold, sub-alpine zones in the rainforests of

Honshu , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island s ...

and

Hokkaido is Japan, Japan's Japanese archipelago, second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost Prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own List of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; th ...

. It is cultivated in Europe.

Ecology

This rhododendron seems to prefer woodland conditions.

References

albrechtii Flora of Japan Plants described in 1871 {{Ericaceae-stub