Ericaceae
Pacific rhododendron
Rhododendron macrophyllum
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Genus
- Rhododendron
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Common names
By language (9)
- Arabic
- ردندرة كبيرة الأوراق
- arz
- ردندره كبيرة الاوراق
- Bulgarian
- Едролистен рододендрон
- Czech
- Pěnišník velkolistý
- English
- Pacific rhododendron
- Hebrew
- רודודנדרון גדול-עלים
- Japanese
- カリフォルニア・シャクナゲ
- Russian
- Рододендрон крупнолистный
- Slovak
- Rododendron veľkolistý
Synonyms
- Azalea californica (Hook.) Kuntze
- Azalea macrophylla (D.Don ex G.Don) Kuntze
- Hymenanthes californica (Hook.) H.F.Copel.
- Hymenanthes macrophylla (D.Don ex G.Don) H.F.Copel.
- Hymenanthes macrophylla f. alba (Rehder) H.F.Copel.
- Rhododendron californicum Hook.
- Rhododendron californicum var. washingtonianum Zabel ex Rehder
- Rhododendron macrophyllum f. album Rehder
- Rhododendron washingtonianum Millais
Flowers
- Flower colour
- purple (USDA PLANTS Database)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Shrub, Tree
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Canada: native, Lower 48 states: native
Toxicity: Moderate, as listed by the USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29). USDA rates how toxic a plant is to people or livestock; it is not a pet-safety rating, so ask a vet or poison line if a pet or child ate it.
Plant problems
Notches in rhododendron leaves: causes and fixesNotches in rhododendron leaves usually mean root weevils. Learn how to spot them, remove adults, and check for root damage.
Rhododendron leaves curling in cold weatherRhododendron leaves often curl naturally in cold weather. Learn how to spot normal winter rolling, prevent drying, and recognize damage.
Photos
Photo: Robert Dunning, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: J Brew, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: John Rusk from Berkeley, CA, United States of America, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
More in Rhododendron
- RhododendronRhododendron ponticumEricaceae
- Rhododendron simsiiEricaceae
- Satsuki azaleaRhododendron indicumEricaceae
- Rusty-leaved alpenroseRhododendron ferrugineumEricaceae
- BuransRhododendron arboreumEricaceae
- Rhododendron luteumEricaceae
- Hairy alpenroseRhododendron hirsutumEricaceae
- Lapland rosebayRhododendron lapponicumEricaceae
- Rusty labrador-teaRhododendron groenlandicumEricaceae
- Rhododendron dauricumEricaceae
- JindallaeRhododendron mucronulatumEricaceae
- Rhododendron schlippenbachiiEricaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.