Dandy Man Color Wheel Doing the rhododendron happy dance

Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendron starts off with lipstick red buds.

The blooms open to large ruffled flowers with deep pink undersides and soft pink shades inside.

rhododendron happy dance from the North to the South and you will want to act quickly to get in on the party. Those of us who treasure azaleas have been jealous - green with envy - of those in the Appalachian area and northward for their ability to grow rhododendrons. Shoot, rhododendrons are even native to North Georgia and create postcard-like beauty in the mountainous scenic parkways and draping over the nation’s best trout streams. What is wrong with us, why did we get left out? Three years ago, my eyes were opened to southern possibilities when I discovered the Rhododendron Trail at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain GA. Callaway is about 25 miles from my house and has one of the best azalea collections in the country. Of course, botanically speaking, azaleas are rhododendrons. It is the real rhododendrons however that all southern azalea lovers dream about thriving in the garden. The Rhododendron Trail at Callaway is a testament of time as these ‘rhodies’ have been there for years and have

The first year, this rhododendron bloomed before planting and was enjoyed on the table for Easter.

stories to tell: they are old and still beautiful. If you are thinking this is a mountain-like North Georgia and Blue Ridge area, the answer is no. It is a wonderful scenic destination.

Three years ago also marks the point in time that I started growing Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendron from Proven Winners. When it comes to rhododendrons, I am always the hopeful skeptic. When I got mine, they started blooming before I could plant them. My bride Jan was so struck by their beauty that she used them as a centerpiece on the table for a few days. No argument from me, for a host of reasons.

Dandy Man Color Wheel has the potential to get 4 to 8 feet tall and as wide. Being a skeptic, I might not have given them enough room from their companions. Guess what? If they keep performing like they have been it will soon be “goodbye companions.” The buds start out lipstick red which I promise you gets the heart pumping with excitement. These open to big ruffled blooms with deep pink undersides and soft pink shades inside. The blooms then age to clear white before falling off. Now you can see the reason Jan wanted these plants for a centerpiece. As the blooms go through their aging progression you will see all three colors at once. The color description probably has you already chomping to get some, but know these are very disease resistant, saying “no” to phytophthora, and equally impressive with their heat tolerance. “Yes Virginia,” we can grow rhododendrons in the south. In fact, these are recommended for zones 5-9.

Like azaleas, Dandy Man Color Wheel needs fertile, organic, rich, well-drained acidic soil. My location is on the side of a gentle slope that has collected falling leaves for decades. It is very fertile and gets very little direct sun. I am layering the area down the slope with azaleas, hydrangeas and hostas. The leathery evergreen foliage of Dandy Man Color Wheel stands out in the crowd if you will, by giving a welcoming contrast of texture with all of the companion plants. My sincerest hope is that the Dandy Man Color Wheel breeders will be introducing some siblings that we can all add to our collections.

Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendron ages in progression to light pink then white. Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendron eventually ages to pristine white before petal fall.

About the author Norman Winter is an author and speaker on horticultural topics.

Norman Winter The Garden Guy