As a gardening and landscaping expert, I can provide you with some guidance on keeping a rhododendron small. While it is possible to prune rhododendrons to maintain their natural habit, it is not practical to try to keep a tall-growing rhododendron small or low-growing.
Rhododendrons come in a variety of sizes and growth habits. Some varieties naturally stay small and compact, while others can reach heights of 15 feet or more. If you have a tall, leggy rhododendron that you want to keep small, it may be more effective to replace it with a smaller variety or a plant with a low, mounding growth habit.
Pruning can be beneficial for rhododendrons to maintain their shape and promote healthy growth. However, trying to drastically reduce the size of a tall rhododendron can be challenging and may result in an unattractive or unhealthy plant.
When pruning a rhododendron, it is important to understand its growth habits and flowering patterns. Rhododendrons typically bloom on old wood, meaning that they set their flower buds in the previous year. Pruning too late in the season or removing too much old wood can result in a loss of flowers for the following year.
To keep a rhododendron small, regular and selective pruning can be done. This involves removing any dead, damaged, or diseased branches, as well as any crossing or rubbing branches. It is important to make clean cuts just above a bud or branch collar to promote proper healing.
Additionally, you can selectively prune to shape the rhododendron and encourage a denser, more compact growth habit. This can be done by selectively cutting back long branches to a bud or lateral branch that is facing in the desired direction of growth. This will help redirect the plant’s energy and encourage more compact growth.
It is worth noting that the size and growth habit of a rhododendron are largely determined by the genetics of the plant. While pruning can help maintain a desired size and shape, it cannot completely alter the natural growth habit of the plant.
In my personal experience as a gardener, I have found that replacing a tall and leggy rhododendron with a smaller variety or a plant with a low, mounding growth habit is often the best solution for achieving a desired size. This allows for a more harmonious and visually pleasing landscape, as the plant naturally fits into its surroundings without the need for excessive pruning.
While it is possible to prune rhododendrons to maintain their natural habit, trying to keep a tall-growing rhododendron small or low-growing is not practical. It is often more effective to choose a rhododendron variety that naturally stays small or replace tall varieties with smaller ones to achieve the desired size and growth habit in your garden.
