Hunting at Roadside III #14

Rhododendrons can vary in size and growth habit. They can be compact, dwarf shrubs, or large, tree-like specimens.  Most species have brightly colored flowers which bloom from late winter through to early summer. Their beauty not only attracts bees and butterflies. It is the national flower of Nepal, the state flower of Washington and West Virginia in the United States, the state flower of Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh in India, the provincial flower of Jiangxi in China and the state tree of Sikkim and Uttarakhand in India.

However, don’t be fooled by its beauty. Rhododendron is Scotland’s most threatening invasive non-native plant. It forms dense thickets and shades out native plants. If left uncontrolled, rhododendron will eventually dominate the habitat to the virtual exclusion of all other plant life.