Rhododendron Research
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heyrhododendron.bsky.social
Rhododendron Research
@heyrhododendron.bsky.social
Research group investigating physiology, ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation of genus Rhododendron. Sharing research, gardens, plant exploration, art, culture, events, anything and everything Rhododendron
Reposted by Rhododendron Research
10th April 2021: The Azaleas in Heisei Tsutsuji Park 2
Every April, the azaleas in Heisei Tsutsuji Park, located just outside the north exit of Nerima Station, reach their peak bloom.
dararindarling.blogspot.com/2021/04/10th...
Taken with iPhone 6s Plus
November 12, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Shout out and solidarity to all my fellow Great Lakes Region pals who had thick cloud cover last night and so totally missed the whole aurora show, I got an amazing aurora picture from a friend near Memphis Tennessee!!! so much FOMO!!!
November 12, 2025 at 11:23 AM
What’s our cover photo species you ask?
Charismatic AF
Rhododendron calophytum
Rhododendron calophytum

Cold Hardiness Temperature:
-5°F (-21°C)
Sichuan, NE Yunnan, Guizhou

Photos from my 2018 data collection with collaborator Adam Roddy on floral carbon/water economy at Rhododendron Species Botanical
garden, manuscript in progress so stay tuned!
November 4, 2025 at 2:52 PM
🍁Fantastic Fall Color Physiology🍁

You really can’t beat lepidote rhododendrons for fall color

The plants pictured are still small but two stunning color variants here,
grown from wild collected seed

Rhododendron dauricum (E Siberia, Mongolia, N China, Japan)

Rhododendron minus (SE US)

🌿🍁🍂🌱🧪🪴
November 4, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Reposted by Rhododendron Research
This coming weekend (November 8th and 9th) I'll be in Federal Way at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden as a vendor for their Fall Foliage Festival. Come on out 10am-4pm and browse selections from Nobody Nursery, the Hardy Fern Foundation, and The Green Gargoyle.
November 2, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Indulged in a bit of leaf flipping yesterday

W/world class breeder Joe Bruso

breeding targets include
hardiness zone 4
leaf longevity for densely packed branches
AANNDD
My personal fav…
TOMENTUM
Aka a dense mat of hairs on the abaxial leaf surface

Details in the alt text!

🌐🌍🍁🧪
#plantbreeding
November 3, 2025 at 12:44 PM
🧪 so many bioactive compounds
⏰ so little time
November 3, 2025 at 12:06 PM
previously undescribed 🤯
isolates from
Rhododendron decorum flowers 🌺

iridoid glycoside, rhododeoside C (1)
&
pyridine derivative, rhododeodine A (2)

structures elucidated using 1D & 2D NMR spectroscopy & high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

🌱🌎🌐🍁
Isolation and structural characterization of an iridoid glycoside and a pyridine derivative, both previously undescribed, from the flowers of Rhododendron decorum
An iridoid glycoside, rhododeoside C (1), and a pyridine derivative, rhododeodine A (2), both previously undescribed, were isolated from the flowers of Rhododendron decorum. The structures were elu...
www.tandfonline.com
November 3, 2025 at 12:04 PM
🏔️Changbai Mountain is experiencing encroachment by Deyeuxia angustifolia, a low-elevation herb

🌿 Mild to moderate encroachment enhanced growth of Rhododendron aureum esp. at low elevations

🛗elevation influenced R. aureum growth through soil conditions, temperature, precipitation and plant size
🌎🌐🍁
Elevation gradient modulates the effects of herbaceous encroachment on the long-term growth trends and climate sensitivity of Rhododendron aureum in alpine tundra
Abstract. As global warming drives plant upward migration, the alpine tundra of Changbai Mountain is experiencing encroachment by Deyeuxia angustifolia (Ko
academic.oup.com
November 2, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Reposted by Rhododendron Research
Are you looking for academic papers on Rhododendron? Check out our rhododendron group on Zotero

We’ve gathered thousands of rhododendron articles, some as old as the 1600’s and many of which you won’t find in academic search engines

FREE TO JOIN!

www.zotero.org/groups/47355...
Zotero | Groups > Rhodo-research.net
Zotero is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share research.
www.zotero.org
March 7, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Reposted by Rhododendron Research
Happy Halloween 🎃
from your friendly neighborhood
Bog Witch 🧙

Bogs are key habitat for
Rhododendron tomentosum
a Taiga species w/circumpolar distribution

Bog Witches are fantastic herbalists
they seek this species
for its powerful magical properties described here
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23352748/
October 31, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Happy Halloween 🎃
from your friendly neighborhood
Bog Witch 🧙

Bogs are key habitat for
Rhododendron tomentosum
a Taiga species w/circumpolar distribution

Bog Witches are fantastic herbalists
they seek this species
for its powerful magical properties described here
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23352748/
October 31, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Great article!

So many opportunities with Rhododendron to merge arts and sciences, LET’S GO!
How the #arts and #science can jointly protect #nature – our new article on building synergies between #art and #biodiversity #conservation now published in in Front. Ecol. Environ. @esajournals.bsky.social esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
October 31, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Reposted by Rhododendron Research
🧵3/7
At times, the trail was a tunnel, completely encircled by rhododendron, their thickly interwoven branches forming walls and a roof.
October 28, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Reposted by Rhododendron Research
Identification of the Antagonistic Fungus Diaporthe phoenicicola Against Rhododendron Brown Spot Disease and Its Disease Control and Plant Growth-Promoting Efficacy https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41149918/
October 29, 2025 at 10:10 AM
GREAT TOPIC IN RHODODENDRON

👀 scans the room for friends working in this topic area

✌🏼sees Rhododendron microbiome-disease prevention friends, small jump of excitement

🏃 runs towards friends frantically waving arms

Hey 👋🏼 guys 👏🏼

look at this cool special issue 🎉
Pls RP

Gunther and I invite manuscript submission to the special issue at Phytopathol Research, the flagship journal of The Chinese Society of Plant Pathology.

Topic: Plant microbiome and disease resistance
Deadline: June 30 2026

Both original and review papers are welcome.
bit.ly/4hr1vng
Microbiome-mediated Plant Disease Resistance: From Mechanisms to Agricultural Applications
Plant diseases caused by diverse pathogens remain a major constraint to global crop production. Harnessing plant-associated microbiomes for disease resistance ...
bit.ly
October 28, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Reposted by Rhododendron Research
Azalea leaf damage likely caused by lace bugs | Johnette’s Garden Club

https://www.allforgardening.com/1487708/azalea-leaf-damage-likely-caused-by-lace-bugs-johnettes-garden-club/

SHREVEPORT, La. – Homeowners across the ArkLaTex may be noticing that their azaleas don’t look as lush this fall. …
Azalea leaf damage likely caused by lace bugs | Johnette’s Garden Club - All For Gardening
SHREVEPORT, La. - Homeowners across the ArkLaTex may be noticing that their azaleas don’t look as lush this fall. Yellowing, speckled leaves are a common
www.allforgardening.com
October 24, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Reposted by Rhododendron Research
ICYMI: Plant growth regulator reduction of bypass shoot development in azalea
Plant growth regulator reduction of bypass shoot development in azalea
HortScience 23(1): 166-167
eurekamag.com
October 25, 2025 at 11:10 AM
a chemotaxonomic screening of 15 Vietnamese Rhododendron

taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside was detected in R. kontumense, R. maddenii, and R. triumphans

highest content in leaves of R. maddenii

Comparison to roots and branches of Korean R. mucronulatum -> higher contents than Vietnamese species
Chemotaxonomic Significance of Taxifolin-3-O-arabinopyranoside in Vietnamese Rhododendron genus
The Rhododendron species have traditionally been used to treat inflammation, pain, colds, and skin diseases. Some species have been reported to exhibit various biological activities, including antioxi...
m.earticle.net
October 26, 2025 at 11:48 AM
👏🏼high-temperature stress activates tryptophan and terpenoid metabolism in R. moulmainense

👏🏼oleanolic acid plays a key role in regulating environmental adaptability, and MYB might be a key regulator

👏🏼uncovering the molecular basis of thermotolerance & potential targets for heat-resilient cultivars
Integrated transcriptome-metabolome analysis reveals oleanolic acid as a central regulator of heat stress adaptation in Rhododendron moulmainense - BMC Plant Biology
Background Alpine rhododendron has high ornamental value because of its vibrant color. However, growing them in urban landscapes is challenging, as high temperatures can slow the growth of Rhododendro...
bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com
October 23, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Excited to dig into this paper!

Having previously enjoyed Dr Mary Jane Epps work showing Rhododendron calendulaceum buzz pollination, now I see there….a whole Ericaceae section of the buzz pollination phylogeny 🤩😍
How many plant species are buzz pollinated? After more than six years in the making, our paper on the convergent evolution of buzz pollinated flowers is out in @journal-evo.bsky.social. Thanks @draverbee.bsky.social @roszenil.bsky.social and all co-authors for your hard work! doi.org/10.1093/evol...
October 23, 2025 at 11:20 AM
This one goes out to all my plant physiologists out there

Who’s going to be the one to start an LI-6400 repair shop?
October 22, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Reposted by Rhododendron Research
Some pretty flowers before they get blown away
October 21, 2025 at 11:34 PM
lots of opportunities for these data to advance our understanding of how canopy cover influence environmental conditions experienced by understory species like rhododendron 👏🏼
Only a pre-print for now, but after 4 years of hard work I couldn't resist sharing this!

The Global Canopy Atlas: analysis-ready maps of 3D structure for the world's woody ecosystems

📜: doi.org/10.1101/2025...

Huge team effort led by the brilliant Fabian Fischer!
October 19, 2025 at 5:39 PM