A few weeks ago, during a comparatively mild day a couple of us came across a much larger - as in, say, 15 ft. across - example at the Rhododendron Botanical Garden in Federal Way, WA in flower. I had seen smaller specimens of this species in bloom before but didn't remember noticing how assertive their not fully pleasant floral odor could be.

Maybe it only wafts under certain weather conditions, and/or it's a lot more discernible when the source plant is the size of a small car. Also the one at the Garden was planted what turned out to be too close to the path so as a body walks past it its right there, with flowers at head level.

Well I hope mine never gets the size of a small car :-). I do remember reading that the flowers don't have a wonderful smell, but I didn't take that too seriously. At least my plant is well off a pathway and as far from my house as plants can get at my house.

Mix of fragrant and malodorous, some Hamamelis are a bit brusque also.

Leaves look like katsura tree.

Nice! And beng, katsura is Cercidiphyllum japonicum, which means that it has leaves that resemble Cercis. This one notes the similarity to Cercis in the specific epithet (cercidifolius). Good eye!

Except for the cultivar 'Red Fox'!

Red Fox could easily inspire some Plant Lust ;-). I planted a Katsura tree early in my gardening life, but it grew like Jack's proverbial beanstalk! That experience taught me an important lesson, which is how small my garden actually is, so after only three years I reluctantly shovel pruned it. It apparently doesn't have garden friendly roots either which is a shame.

I'm a little concerned that my pretty Disanthus, which grew so vigorously for me this year is going to prove hard to accommodate in my small garden.

I have a Red Fox and it is much slower growing than the species. I have a 'Pendula' that we are going to move this week - talk about outgrowing its space...it was one of the first things that I planted here, as a tiny thing. Tiny no more!

Actually the name of the cultivar is 'Rotfuchs'. It was raised by Karl Fuchs from seed collected in Germany during 1977.

Just wanted to add a PS to this thread. I’ve been watching for bud break this spring on my Disanthus. It showed green last spring unusually early, but this year I suspect it will be more normal. But I discovered another feature of this beautiful shrub that I really like - it’s brightly speckled bark. This makes this wonderful shrub a four season standout for me. I am so glad I overcame my reluctance to buy this one! Perhaps the bark is too subtle for some but not for me and I think it will get more interesting with age. I like it’s red buds too. Oh, and it’s got a really attractive bare shape too, though the photo I took doesn’t reveal that.

I have lusted after your disanthus before, Echo (alas for my alkaline soil) - along with fothergilla, hamamelis, zenobia, crinodendron, halesia, cornus and enkianthus - another gorgeous shrub out of bounds for me. Sigh.

Mind, it is just as well or I would be in grave danger of falling down the rhodie rabbithole.

There are always the lilacs.

Campanula, though I would be sorry to not have my fothergillas, I wouldn’t feel the least deprived if I didn’t have any rhododendrons. I went into rhododendrons in a big way when I started gardening at my present property way back in 1973. They do put on a magnificent show every spring but it lasts all of two to three weeks and for the rest of the year there is this depressing hunk of graceless greenery gobbling up garden space at a rapid pace. I now have only two rhododendrons, and one is a much more graceful and very fragrant sort, Frangrantissim, and worth its garden space, but the usual sorts bore me now. That said, Rhododendrons have all done well for me in my relatively alkaline soil, as have blueberries, camellias and others, and If I had more room, I would try some of those on your list of coveted acid preferring plants. My lone Enkianthus is still too young to brag about, but the Disanthus is doing very well. I do mulch with lots of decaying leaves; perhaps that explains my success.