Rhododendron macrophyllum

Rhododendron macrophyllum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Rhododendron
Subgenus:	Hymenanthes
Section:	Ponticum
Species:	R. macrophyllum
Binomial name
Rhododendron macrophyllum D.Don ex G. Don 1834
Natural range
Synonyms
Rhododendron californicum Hook.

Rhododendron californicum Hook.

Rhododendron macrophyllum, the Pacific rhododendron,California rosebay,California rhododendron, coast rhododendron or big leaf rhododendron, is a species of Rhododendron native to western North America. It is the state flower of Washington.

It is an evergreen shrub growing up to 2–9 m (7–30 ft) tall. The leaves, retained for 2–3 years, are 7–23 cm (3–9 in) long and 3–7 cm (1–3 in) broad. The flowers are 2.8–4 cm (1.1–1.6 in) long, with five lobes on the corolla; color is usually pink, although variants exist.

The northern limit of its range is somewhat north of the border between Canada and the United States in British Columbia. It is found as far south as Monterey Bay in California. It is widely distributed in the Coast Mountains and Cascade Range. It is less abundant in the coastal mountains of Washington and northern Oregon and more common south of the Siuslaw River. It is mostly coastal in distribution but extends its range eastward to locations in the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.

Rhododendron macrophyllum, like many rhododendrons, thrives in disturbed habitats such as roadside embankments and recently deforested wildlands. They can also live up in the mountains.

Archibald Menzies found R. macrophyllum growing along with Arbutus menziesii in May 1792 when he and George Vancouver made their second landfall after leaving Hawaii, near present-day Port Discovery, Washington. Seed was sent to England in 1850 by William Lobb.

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Wikipedia