Rhododendron, Anah Kruschke Rhododendron 'Anah Kruschke' Height: 6 feet Spread: 6 feet
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Hardiness Zone: 5b Description: Full trusses of lovely reddish-purple flowers in late May and early June with sturdy dark green leaves retained all year; this variety copes well with sun and heat; it is vigorous and upright, ideal for a shaded shrub border; must have acidic soil Ornamental Features Rhododendron, Anah Kruschke is smothered in stunning clusters of lightly-scented purple trumpet-shaped flowers with burgundy spots at the ends of the branches in late spring. It has dark green evergreen foliage. The glossy narrow leaves remain dark green throughout the winter. Landscape Attributes Rhododendron, Anah Kruschke is an open multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage. This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It has no significant negative characteristics. Rhododendron, Anah Kruschke is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Rhododendron, Anah Kruschke will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more. This shrub does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant should be periodically fertilized throughout the active growing season with a specially-formulated acidic fertilizer. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. Special Attributes Evergreens need to be watered during the winter. Our desert climate especially in late winter to early spring evergreens can suffer during next growing season. An easy way to remember check for dryness on the holidays Halloween, Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, Valentines Day & Easter.
