Large upright-growing evergreen shrubs or small trees (generally much smaller in cultivation) with attractive, smooth and peeling reddish to pinkish bark.The leaves have a distinctive “chocolate-brown” indumentum on the undersurface.The flowers (early spring) are deep red with darker nectar pouches.A rarely grown but extremely ornamental plant, one of the earliest blooming species here at the RSBG.Native to a small area of S Tibet where it grows in coniferous forest margins around 11,500 ft.
1975/012HIL(0\R2\3).Dark crimson flowers with darker nectaries.
1975/238WEB(+5).Cherry red trusses.
1976/155L&S#2751:RBGE(0\R2\3).Cardinal red flowers on this 1966 AM form.
