It is indeed a Dandy Man, but let me explain.

Tim Wood, known by many as "The Plant Hunter," made some comments on LinkedIn. It was regarding the Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendron. He said it was a rhododendron hyperythrum hybrid. Why is that important? It gives the plant disease resistance, particularly to rhizoctonia. It also gives it remarkable cold and in my case heat tolerance.

My dream has always been to grow rhododendrons like those in the mountainous region of Georgia and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Tim Wood’s comments came with my Dandy Man Color Wheel coming-out party.

My rhododendron story started in April 2021. That is when I got 2-gallon-sized Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendrons to try at my house in west Georgia. They were barely out of the box when they exploded in bloom. My wife, Jan, recognizes beauty, and they quickly went to the dining table.

I’ve written about them twice before, including in 2022 when it was recognized as The Rhododendron of the Year by the American Rhododendron Society. I am in my sixth year now and my two original gallon-sized babies are now in the 5- to 6-foot-high range with a spread of 4 to 5 feet. I’ve even added two more. So, my growth rate has been about a foot per year. The tag says mature height is 8 feet; that will be perfect.

There is no doubt a plethora of gardeners think I can grow azaleas but not rhododendrons. So, permit me to chase a rabbit. Botanically speaking azaleas are rhododendrons. For instance, the native azalea called honey azalea, mountain azalea and Piedmont azalea are known botanically as rhododendron canescens. For the sake of brevity, I’ll not give any more examples, but if you grow an azalea, you grow a rhododendron. In Federal Way, Washington, you will find the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden home of the Rhododendron Species Foundation.

Dandy Man Color Wheel blooms are nothing short of incredible. The buds are lipstick red in color and open to reveal bid ruffled blooms with soft pink inside. The blooms age to clean white before falling off. It is extra special in that you will see all three colors at once.

The Dandy Man Color Wheel like all other rhododendrons and those we call azaleas, needs fertile, well-drained, acidic soil. They are recommended for zones 5a through 9b. The warmer zones will probably appreciate some part sun. Be sure to add a good 2-to-3-inch layer of bark mulch or pine straw to foster good soil conditions.

My two oldest ones are in an area with hydrangeas, azaleas and hostas. They will never sync with hydrangeas, should sync with azaleas but this year Shadowland Etched Glass hosta made it look like I knew what I was doing. In the front yard I see I missed an opportunity with Dandy Man Color Wheel rhododendron blooms and Crested Surf Japanese Painted Fern. I will probably move the ferns to that location.

If you have longed to grow rhododendrons, Dandy Man Color Wheel may just be your dream come true, you too will see why it won The Rhododendron of the Year.

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(Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy.)

(NOTE TO EDITORS: Norman Winter receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.)

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