Rhododendron

Description:

"It is a shrub growing 2–9 m tall. The leaves, retained for 2–3 years, are 7–23 cm long and 3–7 cm broad. The flowers are 2.8–4 cm long, with five lobes on the corolla; color is usually pink, although variants exist."

Habitat:

This species, like many rhododendrons, thrives in disturbed habitats such as roadside embankments and recently deforested wildlands.

Notes:

The pink flowering shrub in the picture above (not the lilac in front) is what we're looking at. I took this picture in our front yard. This Evergreen Pacific Rhododendron is at least 27 years old, because it has been there since I was age eight. It's probably closer to 37 years old, because that's how old the house is. It's VERY tall. I would guess at least three to four times my height - so about fifteen to twenty feet tall. I've noticed some "baby" rhododendrons growing nearby too. *** The next two pictures are of a different rhododendron (but same type of plant) in my mother's yard. My dad took these pictures, and if he were alive today, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I used them.