Rhododendrons

[palerider]

Hi guys,

After a walk in the woods last night i saw Rhododendrons where flowering and it got me thinking about them. Personally I don't like them and think they stunt the growth of the wooded areas, but whats your thoughts and opinions on them? Do yous like or loath them.

cheers :)

[saxonaxe]

They have a fairly substantial grip on woodland adjoining mine. In flower they look beautiful and in the winter they provide some 'green' amongst all the naked growth, but you're right PR, they do stifle every thing else. The ground under the bigger bushes is bare. I think I'm right in saying that given sufficient area of growth, it is possible in some circumstances to get a money grant to help towards removal, so officially under some conditions they are public enemies!!:D

[palerider]

They have a fairly substantial grip on woodland adjoining mine. In flower they look beautiful and in the winter they provide some 'green' amongst all the naked growth, but you're right PR, they do stifle every thing else. The ground under the bigger bushes is bare. I think I'm right in saying that given sufficient area of growth, it is possible in some circumstances to get a money grant to help towards removal, so officially under some conditions they are public enemies!!:D

yeah i think in Scotland they've spent millions trying to get rid of them but i think they spread like wildfire....

[saxonaxe]

I know one way of propagating them is to cut a nick in a young stem/branch and just peg it down to the soil and away it goes. So I guess if you're clearing and you leave a piece of root in the ground they'll grow from it. A bit like Couch Grass ...:)

In their favour, I noticed last winter when a freezing Easterly wind blew through the wood for days on end, lots of the small birds found shelter in the Rhododendron thicket over my border.

[Ashley Cawley]

It was nice to see on spring watch the other night that they showed a nature reserve where they cleared hectares of rhododendron and reestablished a native bogland, Which brought back lots of biodiversity even with some unexpected species. The Nightjar was one of them!

[saxonaxe]

That's good news. As far as I can remember, about the only thing growing amongst the Rhodies is some big old Ash trees, everything else has been elbowed out..:)

[snowleopard]

The only things they are good for are climing, and firewood :)

[Silverback]

we dont get many in the Dark Peak, must be the acidic soils..there is a valley of impenetrable rhodies to the south of Marjery Hill where they had to use a Sea King to winch out a casualty otherwise they tend to be lower down or in lanscaped area like parks

[Bushwhacker]

They look nice, but they're a pain. They can dominate an area to the detriment of native species.

[Stamp]

Its already been said that Rhody is public enemy number 1 for forestry and for wildlife. They only way to kill the root is my a stem injection, a hole is drilled into the main stem at 45 degrees (ish) and round up is squirted into it. Once the plant has died it can then be removed. Its a nightmare to clear as it can be so dense, you can work all day on an area and then look at it and it feels like you barely made a dent!

On a plus side, in the right location they look great! There are some lovely specimens in Westonbirt Arboretum.

[David_JAFO]

hello,
Yes I remember clearing a section of woodland on a project between that & Japanese Knot Weed in the same area.. OMG.
I think both were planted when there was a stately house in the area many years ago? we used this very effective 'blue dye'
root killer which was brushed onto the remaining stump of the 'Rhody' very effective. The Knot weed still grows in abundance in the
same area.
Regards
David


Its already been said that Rhody is public enemy number 1 for forestry and for wildlife. They only way to kill the root is my a stem injection, a hole is drilled into the main stem at 45 degrees (ish) and round up is squirted into it. Once the plant has died it can then be removed. Its a nightmare to clear as it can be so dense, you can work all day on an area and then look at it and it feels like you barely made a dent!

On a plus side, in the right location they look great! There are some lovely specimens in Westonbirt Arboretum.

[JonnyP]

Burn them all..!!

[rossbird]

Burn them all..!!
Thought that was Witches Jonny:wink:
Don`t forget there are some great spoons to be had from Rhododendrons .

[suggy]

I wouldn't use it for fire wood, I heard it was nasty (Carsinogenic / cancer causing ) when I was going to make a knife handle from it. It looks nice but don't breathe in the dust.

Doesn't bother the Gurkha's though...

http://www.nepalkhukurihouse.com/making-of-khukuri.php

[Silverback]

Doesn't bother the Gurkha's though...



Nothing bothers the Gurkhas.....hard little........b...lighters

[rossbird]

I wouldn't use it for fire wood, I heard it was nasty (Carsinogenic / cancer causing ) when I was going to make a knife handle from it. It looks nice but don't breathe in the dust.

Doesn't bother the Gurkha's though...

http://www.nepalkhukurihouse.com/making-of-khukuri.php
Not sure about that Suggy.
think I may have posted this before, put my mind at ease.
http://www.wildresources.co.uk/reports/rhodo_eng.pdf

[OakAshandThorn]

Lots of Rosebay Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) in my area - 'tis a native species, and doesn't cause much harm to other plants...they are, in fact, quite useful for controlling erosion ;). Yes, they tend to grow in large colonies producing nearly impenetrable hedges and thickets, but this is excellent cover for wild turkeys, deer, and woodland tweeps :D.

[happybonzo]

I've used Ecoplugs in the past and found them very effective - http://www.ecoplug.com/

[jus_young]

Don't like them, hate them even. There is a row of 20ft tall specimens right opposite my front door and I would love to burn them. I see so many woodlands on my travels where they are spreading and it's not pretty.