Upright evergreen shrubs with pale brown peeling bark.The typically elliptic to somewhat rounded leaves have a thin brownish indumentum on the lower surface.Like the closely related R. electeum, the tubular bell-shaped flowers of this species (early spring) are incredibly variable in color, ranging from white to pink, rose or various shades of red.They are often bicolored and may be heavily spotted to unmarked.Rare in cultivation, this species can be susceptible to powdery mildew (this has not been a big problem here at the RSBG) but is useful for its very early blossoms.Native to SE Tibet, Upper Burma and NW Yunnan, China where it occurs in a wide variety of habitats from 10,000 to 14,000 ft.
1965/291Benmore(0).Rounded elliptic leaves seldom over three inches long, medium green above with a faint yellow was below from tiny hairs which establish the character of this airy Thomsonii.
1967/684COR(0). By nature, a neat, upright small shrub with crisp, flat, rounded leaves and pendulous, tubular, delicate pink flowers in March.
1998sd414CCHH#8137:RSBG(0\R2\3).Grown from my collection of seed at 11,800 ft. on the Salween/Irrawaddy divide in NW Yunnan.On a spring expedition to this same region it was noted that most of the flowers were creamy yellow, though some superb variations were present.
