Root weevils are a common problem with rhodies. If you see notches on the edges of the leaves, it’s probably root weevils. There is a free method for getting rid of them but it may cause your neighbors to call the cops. Root weevils crawl up the plant at night and do their munching. Go out in the dark with a flashlight and a white sheet. Spread the sheet under the rhododendron and then shake the hell out of the plant. You can handpick the root weevils off the sheet. Warn your neighbors or they’re bound to wonder what exactly is going on in your shrubs.
Want to add a rhododendron to the yard? Dave and Joan Hammond grow thousands of kinds at their Arlington nursery Hammonds’ Acres of Rhododendrons. Joan Hammond recommends a few showstoppers:
Grande series: these feature super long leaves and huge, cabbage-sized flowers. This rhody is a bit tender; it can only handle temperatures down to 15 degrees (http://www.rhododendron.org/descriptionS_new.asp?ID=167).
Falconeri series: these are plenty hardy for this area but they need to be planted in a spot protected from the wind, which can shred the leaves (http://www.rhododendron.org/descriptionS_new.asp?ID=256).
Taliense series: sports indumentum, the fuzzy underside of leaves prized by rhody lovers (http://www.rhododendron.org/descriptionS_new.asp?ID=294).
A list of proven performers for Puget Sound locations (http://www.rhododendron.org/performers2.htm).
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