Stelloh garden.
In general, occidentale does not do well in the east, possbly because of the summer heat. These two plants came from the Rhododendron Species Foundation and Greer Gardens as very young plants in 1979, and lived until 1996 in Darnestown MD, at which time they were moved to Hendersonville NC. They have received no special care. One plant is 3'h x 4'w, the other is 7'h x 5'w. Layers of the latter plant are now growing in Asheville NC and Cleveland SC, and cuttings and seed of it have been distributed.