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What Is the Origin of the Rhododendron?
What Is the Origin of the Rhododendron?. The rhododendron is primarily a Northern Hemisphere plant although there are some species that originate from Southeast Asia and New Guinea and Australia.
The rhododendron is primarily a Northern Hemisphere plant although there are some species that originate from Southeast Asia and New Guinea and Australia.
North America and Europe
There are over 1,000 different species of rhododendron and most of them come from Asia. Very few are native to either Europe or North America and almost none native to South America or Africa.
In Asia
The majority of rhododendron species come from Asia and most from north of the equator. The largest number of species comes from the area of the Himalayas and parts of China. There are also significant numbers from Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
Below the Equator
The only rhododendrons from south of the equator are where its Asian spread includes New Guinea and Australia. Some 20 percent of the known species come from this area.
The True Origin
Of course, as with all plants and animals, the rhododendron has evolved from earlier species. It's a member of the heather family of plants, meaning it's related to cranberry and heather itself.
Where Are the Ones in My Garden From?
The rhododendrons which are cultivated in gardens and parks are usually species which were collected in Southeast Asia and the Himalayas during the age of exploration.
