Anja Murray: Rhododendron — more to this beauty than meets the eye

Attractive flowers — but ecological devastation — from this introduced plant

The Vee in the Knockmealdown mountains covered in rhododendron. Picture: Dan Linehan

During April and May, rhododendron comes into flower, the many varieties displaying enormous, brightly-coloured blossoms in pink, violet, and white. The abundance of flowers among the big green waxy leaves can be stunning, and when the petals tumble down in gusty weather, a grove of rhododendron can seem like a pastel wonderland.

But rhododendron, despite its attractive flowers, causes ecological devastation when growing in habitats where it should not be.