A Study on the wild Rhododendron micranthum for being used as Landscape Plant

꼬리진달래의 조경수목화를 위한 기초연구(1) : 자생지의 생육환경을 중심으로

Rhododendron micranthum grown over the area of Kyoung Puck, Kang Weon Province is showy and very attractive evergreen broad-leaned shrub of shade 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 garden 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. Light intensity for the native habitat ranged in the proximity of 9%. The most abundant stand of this shrub occurred in the northen side of mountains, while still some plants were found in the eastern sides also. 2. Soil of the native habitat was acidic (pH 4.4) and infertility. 3. Average elevation of the native habitat was shown to be 230m above the sea level. 4. The plant of the native habitat showed an average of 3.9 new shoots per branch, whereas that of the garden planted (light intensity 100%) showed 1.2, 5% of an average was for sun-burn leaves were noted, while garden Plants(light intensity 100%) showed 90% of them. 5. Other tree species associated with Rhododendron micrathum in the native habitat were primarily Pinus densiflora and secondarily Sorbus alnifolia, hemerocallis aurautiaca, Rubus crataegifolius, and Salix hulteni. 6. Vegetation rate of plant habitats in the Rhododendron growing area was observed to be 0 to 80% involving 27 to 50 species of associated trees in the vegetation for the 10${\times}$10m quadrat area.

꼬리진달래는 상록활엽관목으로 내음성이 강하고 꽃이 아름다운 수종이어서 조경수목으로 개발할 가치가 매우 크다. 본 조사에서 얻은 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 꼬리진달래는 음지식물이며 대기습도가 높은 곳을 선호하며, 자생지토양은 산성이 강한 척박지이다. 2. 자생지의 방위는 대부분 북향에서 동북향이다. 3. 표고가 낮은 (230m 내외) 지역에서도 생육이 가능하다. 4. 자생지의 식생조사 결과는 소나무와 꼬리진달래가 우점종으로 나타났으며 이와 같은 군집 속에는 팥배나무와 원추리 아군집, 산딸기나무 아군집, 호랑버들 아군집이 나타났다. 5. 자생지의 식생율은 0∼80%였고 출현종수는 27종에서 50종까지 나타났다.