R. kiusianum 'purple form'

A native to southern Japan, this rhododendron species is found growing in open woodlands on hillsides at elevations of 1800-2400 feet. It is a low and spreading plant that looks much like our Uva-ursi native, but having 1 inch lavender-purple flowers in spring.  The leaves are small and rounded, shiny, and a dark bronzy-green. One can expect this plant to eventually be a bit over 12 inches high x 3-4 ft across.  The name refers to the Japanese island of Kyushu. Hardy to -10 deg F.  Rare Variety – This variety is difficult to find anywhere due to these reasons·        Hard to propagate – many cultivars do not root easily from cuttings, but at a reduced rate thus making the plant rare.·        Hard to find – these cultivars are hard to find in the first place, probably because they are hard to root from cuttings