Rhododendron intricatum

Rhododendron intricatum (隐蕊杜鹃) is a rhododendron species native to central and western Sichuan, as well as northern Yunnan, China, where it grows at altitudes of 3500-4500 m. It is an evergreen shrub that typically grows to 50-100 cm in height, with leaves that are oblong-elliptic to ovate, and 0.5–1.2 × 0.3–0.7 cm in size. The flowers are pale lavender, purple-blue to dark blue, or rarely yellowish.

This very compact shrub flowers profusely when it is only a few centimetres tall, and is also hardy, being an alpine plant. It is therefore a suitable subject for a rock garden.