Illustration
Boursault Rhododendron
Rhododendron 'Catawbiense Boursault'
Also called catawbiense boursault and catawbiense boursault rhododendron
Boursault Rhododendron blooms from May through June.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Boursault Rhododendron
Plant it in part shade. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–8. Expect it to reach about 6 ft tall and 7 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 4 years (a house reading).
Is Boursault Rhododendron toxic to dogs or cats?
- Listed as toxic to dogs and cats by NC State Extension, Pet Poison Helpline and Royal Horticultural Society.
- Listed as poisonous to people by NC State Extension and Royal Horticultural Society.
Lists differ and none is complete. If a pet eats a plant and seems unwell, call a veterinarian or a pet poison helpline.
What was checked
Nine facts were checked against named botanical sources, each recorded beside the sources that carried it: mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color, the trait tags, and years to mature size, which rests on a recorded house rule where no publisher states one and is marked so. Soil, diseases, pests, toxicity and the plant's own names have not yet been read for this plant, and its trait tags are the ones a feature uses rather than every word a page prints. Each fact above carries its own mark. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Boursault Rhododendron
Plant Boursault Rhododendron in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. In zone 6, the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 8, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from May to June.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 6, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 6 in March. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Boursault Rhododendron get?
6 fttall5 ft 7 inan adult7 ftwideSee Boursault Rhododendron in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Boursault Rhododendron
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Boursault Rhododendron about 7 ft apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Boursault Rhododendron to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Boursault Rhododendron's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color and trait tags were checked against 10 published sources on October 15, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical GardenPlant Finderheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color and trait tags
- Plant Addictsheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color and trait tags
- Nature Hills Nurseryheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, water and bloom months and color
- Chicago Botanic Gardenarchived entryhardiness zones, sun, bloom months and color and trait tags
- rhododendron.orgAmerican Rhododendron Societyheight, bloom months and color and trait tags
- woodyplants.cals.cornell.eduCornell University Woody Plants Databaseheight, spread and bloom months and color
- mobot.orgMissouri Botanical Garden, Plants in Bloombloom months and color
- mobot.orgMissouri Botanical Garden, Plants in Bloombloom months and color
- Oregon State UniversityLandscape Plantsheight and sun
- NC State Extensionspecies page, Rhododendron catawbiensesun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Good to know about Boursault Rhododendron
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses: all parts and the nectar hold grayanotoxins. Even a few leaves can cause vomiting, weakness, and dangerous heart effects. per ASPCA
Explore similar plants
You might also like
Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.