Why Is Rhododendron A Problem?

Rhododendron is an aggressive coloniser which is both environmentally and ecologically damaging to infected sites.

 

Once established, it forms dense, long-lived thickets which smother the ground flora and suppress the regeneration of native trees and shrubs. Its dense thickets can reach several metres in height.

 

Well established thickets eventually form a toxic layer of leaf litter which produces a dark sterile environment and supports little wildlife.

 

The foliage of Rhododendron is unpalatable to grazing animals. Dense tangles of Rhododendron stems can block pathways, smother watercourses and encroach on roadways, resulting in an impingement of sight- lines.

 

In some cases, infestations have been so expensive to control that land has been abandoned.