What does rhododendron mean?
Word: Rhododendron
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Rhododendron means a large bush or small tree, usually evergreen, with big clusters of bright flowers.
How do you spell rhododendron?
Syllables: rho - do - den - dron
Tricky part: Nothing in the sound calls for the h after the first r, so it is the letter most often lost or put in the wrong place.
Watch out for: rododendron, rodhodendron
Memory tip: Rhodes, the Greek island, begins in just the same way, quiet h and all.
Rhododendron in a sentence
Example 1: A rhododendron in full bloom stands at the gate of our hotel in the hills.
Example 2: The hills of Sikkim have a sanctuary set aside for the rhododendron.
Example 3: Our gardener planted a rhododendron in the shady corner because it dislikes strong sun.
Fun Fact
The red rhododendron, known locally as lali gurans, is the national flower of Nepal.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
rhod_dendr_n
a) o, o
b) a, u
c) o, u
d) a, o
Show answer
a) o, o. Both gaps take the same round vowel.
Word Cookie
One word in this sentence is misspelt. Find it:
Our guide stopped beside a towering rhododandron and showed us how the bees moved from blossom to blossom in the morning sun.
a) morning
b) blossom
c) towering
d) rhododandron
Show answer
d) rhododandron. The stressed syllable in the middle has the short e of den, a place where a lion rests.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence and choose the word they make:
Each year the forests of eastern Nepal glow with the crimson flowers of the doondhrernod.
a) rosemary
b) rhododendron
c) lavender
d) chrysanthemum
Show answer
b) rhododendron. Three d's cannot be placed in any other plant name here.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is misspelt. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. rhododendron 2. magnollia 3. hibiscus 4. marigold
a) a plant with round orange or yellow flower heads
b) a tropical plant with large trumpet-shaped flowers
c) a tree with large, waxy white or pink flowers
d) a broad-leaved shrub with large bright blooms
Show answer
c) a tree with large, waxy white or pink flowers. Magnolia has a single l, and the mag at the start is the same as in magnet.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Where does a rhododendron grow wild?
a) a salty mangrove creek
b) a bare, dry desert plain
c) the hot Sahara sand dunes
d) a cool Himalayan hillside
Show answer
d) a cool Himalayan hillside
2. When should visitors go to the hills of Sikkim to see rhododendrons in full bloom?
a) in autumn
b) in the monsoon
c) in spring
d) in winter
Show answer
c) in spring
