Rhododendron ‘PJM Elite’
Overview
Uses: Foundation plantings, hedges, woodland edges, and cold-climate gardens.
Benefits: The most vigorous and upright of the PJM clones, and the latest of them to bloom, which helps its lavender-pink flowers dodge late frosts. Small glossy leaves turn purple in fall and hold through winter. Very cold hardy and heat tolerant.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–8
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
Growth Habit: Upright, Rounded — vigorous and dense.
Bloom Color: Lavender-Pink
Foliage Color: Dark Green, turning Purple in fall and winter
Mature Height: 5–6 feet
Mature Width: 5 feet
Bloom Season: Spring
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
A rhododendron built for cold winters, with flowers that hold off until the weather settles.
PJM Elite is the most vigorous and upright of the PJM rhododendrons, the cold-climate group that has anchored northern gardens for generations. It grows into a dense, well-branched evergreen about five to six feet tall and five feet wide, large enough to work as an informal hedge or as the backbone of a shrub border.
Its lavender-pink flowers open in spring a little later than the other PJM clones. That short delay matters in cold climates, where a warm spell followed by a hard frost can brown the blooms of earlier rhododendrons. The later timing helps PJM Elite miss some of those late frosts and deliver a fuller show.
The small, glossy leaves stay dark green through summer and turn purple in fall, keeping that color through winter. Like the rest of the PJM group, it shrugs off cold wind and winter sun better than the large-leaf rhododendrons, and it copes with warm, humid summers better than many of them as well.
Care
PJM Elite Rhododendron Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. Morning sun with light afternoon shade is ideal in most of its range; in the coldest zones it can take full sun and flowers heavily there.
Give it acidic, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Rhododendron roots are shallow and fine and will rot in ground that stays wet, so skip low, soggy spots and work compost or pine bark into heavy clay, or plant on a slight mound. Keep the top of the root ball level with or a little above the soil line.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first year and during dry spells after that. Mulch two to three inches deep with shredded bark or pine needles to keep the root zone cool and moist, and avoid digging or hoeing around the base of the plant.
A light application of slow release fertilizer in early spring is all it needs; heavy feeding leads to soft growth and fewer flowers.
Prune, if at all, right after flowering. Flower buds for the next year form during summer, so late-season cutting removes them. When grown as a hedge, a light trim after bloom keeps the line neat without sacrificing next spring's flowers.
Size
What Size is the PJM Elite Rhododendron for Sale Online?
Our PJM Elite Rhododendron ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. As an evergreen it ships with its leaves on, and in the cooler months they may already show purple winter color. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does PJM Elite Rhododendron Grow?
Expect about 5 to 6 feet tall and around 5 feet wide at maturity, in an upright, rounded shape. For an informal hedge, space plants about 4 to 5 feet apart so they knit together as they mature.
Additional Information
What does PJM stand for?
The name honors Peter J. Mezitt of Weston Nurseries in Massachusetts. The first PJM hybrids were raised there in the 1940s from a cross between Carolina rhododendron and Rhododendron dauricum from northeast Asia, with the goal of a rhododendron tough enough for New England winters. PJM Elite is one of the later selections from that line.
How is PJM Elite different from the original PJM?
PJM Elite grows larger and more upright than the original PJM, its flowers lean more toward lavender-pink, and it blooms somewhat later. If you want a more compact plant with the same winter color, look at PJM Elite Star, a denser selection of PJM Elite that stays around four to five feet.
Can it be grown as a hedge?
Yes. Its upright, vigorous growth and dense evergreen foliage make it one of the better rhododendrons for an informal flowering hedge, especially in cold climates where broadleaf hedging options are limited. Plant in a row about 4 to 5 feet apart and trim lightly after bloom. For more options that stay green year-round, see our Evergreen Plants.
Is it bothered by deer?
Deer do browse rhododendrons, mostly in winter when the evergreen leaves and plump flower buds are among the few green things around. In areas with regular deer traffic, protect plants with fencing or repellents. Where deer pressure is constant, our Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens are a better fit.
