Rhododendron 'Cunningham's White'

Questions about rhododendron 'Cunningham's White'

Does rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' need sun or shade?

Rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' grows in part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 8. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers mid May to early June. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' be planted?

4½ ft (130 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 5 ft (150 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 5 ft (150 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' plants do I need?

Usually one. At 4½ ft (130 cm) across, it is a plant you place, not one you mass. For a hedge or screen, set them 4½ ft apart: three plants for a 10 ft run.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: severe toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. All parts, including the nectar, are highly poisonous if eaten and can affect the heart.

Rated from the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like rhododendron 'Cunningham's White'?

These come closest to doing what rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Black chokeberry: the same job in a bed, the same flowering time and the same colour; 4 in narrower, medium leaves, not bold.
• Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': the same job in a bed and the same colour; 4 in narrower, flowers late April to mid May.
• Ninebark 'Dart's Gold': the same job in a bed, the same flowering time and the same colour; 4 in narrower, medium leaves, not bold.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

What flowers after rhododendron 'Cunningham's White'?

Rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' is over by early June. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Foxglove: from early June to mid July, 4 ft tall.
• Bee balm: from early July to early August, 3 ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Daylily: from late June to early August, 2½ ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' look like in winter?

Rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' keeps its dark green leaves all winter, so it is one of the plants that hold a bed together from November to March, when the perennials have gone.