A rhododendron is going to need some sun or at least bright light to bloom its best, but midday sun isn't ideal in a Z9. Here close to the ocean I can just about get away with it with our number of cloudy, foggy and rainy days, but south of me your plant would do better if in midday shade, morning or late afternoon sun. You said 'some' mid day sun...do you mean dappled, or full sun for part of the middle of the day....

This is Upper Napa Valley and the sun is getting hotter and hotter. This spot is on east side of house and tucked in behind a chimney on it's southern side so all would be well except for some of the branches that might protrude beyond the chimney. There is a Rhodie there that suffers. I just wondered if there was a chance of one that was more sun tolerant. Thank you for your input.

The heat in a full sun Z9 location would be more of a problem than the sun itself. If I understand the location correctly, you would also be coping with reflected and stored heat from the chimney. Rhodyman's recommendations are tough varieties, but... One of the parents of the PJM complex is the species dauricum. This species does not take at all kindly to hot conditions. Boule de Neige is an absolute magnet for lacebugs when grown in a sunny location. It also tends to wilt in excessive heat. Nova Zembla, like most reds, looks bleached out in direct sun. Sorry to be pessimistic, but a rhododendron is just not a good choice for this location.

Will it freeze where you are? Vireya (tropical rhododendrons) often like full sun, but can't take a freeze. Huge selection, fabulous colors, some fragrant

vireya.net/

Thanks so much to all of you!

I hadn't thought of heat retention from the chimney (It is stone) but there is a huge fir tree just a few feet away that towers over all this. That, of course is another problem for many plants. About 20 years ago we had one winter with a freeze that pinched citrus in pots on our south/southwest side and froze some people''s exposed pipes. We now have hotter sun it seems, with less ground water, and warmer winters by average.

We are at the top of a knoll in a sort of "banana belt" at around 1000 ft.. We mostly have native or at least drought resistant plants, arbutus trees, oaks and firs, toyons, a few Japanese maples that are struggling, and just chips on the ground. A high concern of course is water, but at this one spot we would try to water a bit more to keep a beautiful plant alive.

I would of course welcome any suggestion for another type of shade plant. Since this is a rustic setting we need as "natural" a look as possible, something that doesn't take too long to grow to a 3 or 4 foot height ( since we may only have 10 years or less left in this house), and reach a width of 3 or 4 feet as well. Dry shade is mostly what we have with lots of rocks and boulders in our minimal soil. Not exactly a gardener's paradise but pretty in it's own way.

Also we have amazingly varied micro-climates, even within a small radius. Yikes.

P.S. The help offered on this forum is generous and terrific. Thanks!!

I would of course welcome any suggestion for another type of shade plant.

Any of the native California manzanitas, which are Ericaceous and therefore might as well belong in this forum.

If you like broad-leaved evergreens and are in the Napa Valley, you must take a trip to Sonoma Horticultural Nursery. No excuses. Now in the time of year out there too, but not for much longer since the season is so far advanced. (R. arboreums start blooming in San Francisco in late January)

Thanks. This spot does get some morning sun, more in summer months. At least it doesn't get the harsh western sun. The midday summertime sun is what I fear of course.

I have been to Sonoma Hort. I have a good size book made up of just listings of Sonoma nurseries. They have some wonderful ones. Sonoma is cooler than we are and a great place to garden. Some areas have deep top soil that is 30 to 60 ft. deep. I'm so jealous.