Rhododendron Fragrantissimum

Few rhododendrons are as strongly scented as Rhododendron Fragrantissimum, a tender, larger-growing shrub grown above all for its perfume. The flowers open from carmine-flushed buds to large, frilled, white trumpets with a sweet nutmeg fragrance that carries on warm spring days. The growth is open and slightly leggy, which suits training rather than tight clipping.

Because the scent is the main event, Fragrantissimum is best near a door, a path, a patio, or a courtyard where people pass close by. It can be grown against a warm wall, espaliered along a fence, or kept in a large container that moves under cover for winter. This rhododendron suits cottage gardens, courtyard plantings, and sheltered coastal gardens.

Plant in dappled shade in free-draining, acidic soil enriched with compost or leaf mould. It is frost tender, so it is best in warm, sheltered, and coastal gardens, and is not suited to frost-prone inland districts such as Central Otago or inland Southland without protection. Rhododendron foliage is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten in quantity.

Fragrantissimum reaches around 2 to 2.5 m over time, and responds well to pruning after flowering to keep it bushy.