Black Hat® rhododendron is the kind of plant that keeps you coming back, season after season, just to see what it’s doing. In spring, it graces the garden with clusters of soft purple-pink blossoms, each one kissed with burgundy freckles and brushed with glowing pink stamens. The effect is delicate yet daring, and thanks to a special genetic trait, these blooms linger longer than most, extending the magic of their moment. As the months pass, the flowers give way to a new show. The glossy green foliage slowly deepens into rich, dramatic tones of purple-black as autumn arrives, creating a mysterious contrast against the fiery reds and golds of surrounding trees. This shift feels almost theatrical, as if the plant is changing costumes for the next act of the garden’s play.

• 3 feet tall and wide at maturity
• Hardy in zones 4-8, be sure to check your USDA zone to ensure success
• Plant in part to full sun (4+ hours daily)
• Space plants 3 feet apart for best results
• Produces cool purple-pink flowers during spring
• Maintains year-round foliage that starts green and takes on dramatic purple-black tones in cool weather
• Blooms on old wood
• Great for borders, containers, edges, foundation plantings, hedges, focal points, mass plantings, woodland gardens
• Attracts bees, butterflies
• Compact habit, fall interest, winter interest, low maintenance, long blooming
• Shrubs shipped Nov-Apr will arrive dormant; shrubs shipped Apr-Oct will arrive green or in bloom

Care: Fertilize with Proven Winners Continuous Release Plant Food just as the new growth begins to emerge. Pruning is not recommended.

Shipping Info:

• Enjoy free shipping on orders over $175
• Size at shipping varies by season, plant, and trimming schedules
• Quart shrubs are 5-8 in tall and 6 months to 1 year old at shipment
• 1 Gallon shrubs are 6-24 in tall and about 1 year old at shipment

Read our guide to get started with planning a garden