This beautiful, blue-flowered rhododendron has been repeatedly planted at Harewood since the 1930s and is a joy to see in spring, especially when the blooms stand out in contrast with other rhododendrons flowering in white, yellow or pink.
The individual flowers are star-shaped and have long stamens resembling ‘cat’s whiskers’, which protrude beyond the petals.
It was discovered in China by Augustine Henry in 1886 whilst exploring in Hupeh when he was working as a Medical Officer at the Chinese Customs.
This species belongs to a specific section of rhododendrons called Lepidotes, because they have tiny scales on their leaves and flowers (lepidote = covered in small scales).
Found here

Himalayan Garden

Himalayan Garden
Discover more Sino-Himalayan Plants
Harewood’s Himalayan Garden contains many rare and unusual plants, many of which were introduced by intrepid plant explorers, and include Blue Poppies, Cobra Lilies, Primulas and Orchids, all planted amidst a host of trees, shrubs, rhododendrons and bamboos.

Calanthe tricarinata
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Phyllostachys aurea ‘Holochrysa’
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Daphne bholua ‘Jaqueline Postill’
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Metasequoia glyptostroboides
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Primula florindae
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Cornus kousa var. chinensis
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Meconopsis ‘Lingholm’
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Pinus wallichiana
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Davidia involucrata
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Calanthe tricarinata
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Phyllostachys aurea ‘Holochrysa’
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Daphne bholua ‘Jaqueline Postill’
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Metasequoia glyptostroboides
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Primula florindae
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Cornus kousa var. chinensis
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Meconopsis ‘Lingholm’
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Pinus wallichiana
- Sino-Himalayan Plants

Davidia involucrata
- Sino-Himalayan Plants
Explore our Collections
Harewood House Trust, boasts an incredible collection of furniture, ceramics, and paintings, as well as gardens and grounds brimming with plants from around the world.

Sino-Himalayan Plants

British Furniture

Italian Old Masters

British Portraiture

Sino-Himalayan Plants

British Furniture

Italian Old Masters
