Rhododendron brachycarpum grown over the area of high mountains of hang Weon Province is showy and very attractive evergreen broad-leaved shrub of shade and cold resistance. This shrub is considered very useful for exploiting as a garden plant. Environments, growth characteristics and vegetation association in the wild habitat and in the gardens planted with this shrub, were investigated to find out some appropriate means of propagation and cultivation of this shrub.
The results thus obtained were stated as follows;
1. Average elevation of the native habitat was shown to be 915m and that of the garden where this shrub is planted was 120m in Chuncheon above the sea level.
2. Light intensity for the native habitat ranged in the proximity of 10%, and that for the garden-planted area ranged 13% in one occasion and 100% in another. The most abundant stand of this shrub occurred in the northern side of mountains, while still some plants were found in the eastern and western side also.
3. Temperature of the native habitat was approximately 7℃ lower than the garden planted with the shrub in summer, and moisture was 10%more than the garden .
4. Soil of the native habitat was acidic (pH 5.1∼5.5), rich in nitrogen and organic matter. Maximum mater holding capacity in Seelak Mt. soil was 53.5% that for the garden planted with the shrub was 37.8%.
5. The plant of the native habitat showed an average of 4.8 new shoot, whereas that of the garden showed 3.57% of an average was for morphologically rolled leaves were noted, while the arden plants showed 21% of them.
6. Other tree species associated with Rhododendron brachycarpum in the native habitat were primarily Abies holophylla and secondarily Acer tomensosum. Lindera obtusiloba, and Thuja koraisensis.
7. Vegetation rate of plant habitats in the Rhododendron growing area was observed to be 80 to 100% involving 14 to 34 species of associated trees in the vegetation for the 10 ×10m quadrant area.
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