Rhododendron 'PJM Elite' is a compact evergreen rhododendron celebrated for its lavender pink blooms and bronze tinted foliage that intensifies in winter. Extremely cold hardy and early blooming, it is ideal for northern gardens and smaller landscapes where bold spring color is desired in acidic soils.
Height & Spread: 4 - 6 ft x 3 - 5 ft
Bloom Time: Early to mid spring
Light Requirements: Part sun to part shade
Soil Preference: Well drained, acidic, humus rich soils
Watering Needs: Moderate; keep evenly moist
Deer Resistance: Moderately resistant
Native Status
This hybrid rhododendron is not native, but it is widely cultivated for ornamental use and performs well in temperate regions with acidic soils.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Bees
- Early blooming flowers provide nectar for queen bumblebees and emerging native bees in spring.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 3 - 5 ft apart to allow for natural mounding and air circulation.
Landscape Placement
- Perfect for massing in shrub borders, woodland gardens, and foundation beds with filtered light and acidic soil.
Companion Plants
- Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel) - Offers complementary evergreen structure and late spring blooms.
- Vaccinium angustifolium (Lowbush Blueberry) - Provides native understory foliage and wildlife value.
- Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania Sedge) - Functions as a native ground layer beneath acid loving shrubs.
- Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet) - Adds fragrant summer blooms and grows well in similar moisture conditions.
- Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen) - Offers ground hugging foliage and red berries in acidic woodland gardens.