[Edhurl]

Whats this? Its used in landscaping at a hotel, was wonderung if I could use for leaf litter? Thanks

 

[frogparty]

Rhododendron... It's fine

 

[epiphytes etc.]

I would be wary of using leaves from a hotel. Who knows what they spray with. Maybe you can find out who does their landscape maintenance and ask them.

 

[JimO]

They actually make good leaf litter in that the leaves curl into a tube shape when they dry out. This makes for good hide spots and keeps the leaf litter from being too much of a flat wet mess. Their durability is somewhere between magnolia/live oak and maple/large leaf oaks (red, white, chestnut, pin oaks, etc.)

 

[Pumilo]

I would be wary of using leaves from a hotel. Who knows what they spray with. Maybe you can find out who does their landscape maintenance and ask them.

I'd be willing to bet they spray nasty stuff to keep it all looking nice.

 

[ritersofly]

I'd be willing to bet they spray nasty stuff to keep it all looking nice.

Most ironic thing ever....

 

[frogparty]

Rhodies really are almost pest free. Any decent landscaping co. wouldnt waste the money spraying them, especially in the winter

 

[Edhurl]

i do the hotel maintenance, ill ask the head landscaper, pretty sure they dont spray much, lots of weed pulling by hand all summer

 

[Rhesus Feist]

Personally, I wouldn't use them if they spray anything anywhere on the property.

Most likely they would be spraying insecticide, as in kills bugs ie springtails, isopods, fruit flys, etc. Even if they didn't directly spray the rhodos, I was a licensed pesticide applicator for a few years, over-spray and wind drift happen.

Amphibians are also very susceptible to many pollutants/poisons even at levels that would be safe for other types of vertebrate animals. I'd even be worried about herbicides like glyphosate (roundup) which is relatively inert to people and mammal type pets.

Bottom line, if there has been any spraying, is it really worth your pets lives to save a few bucks on leaves?

 

[Edhurl]

Nope not worth it, thanks for pointing that stuff out, wasnt thinking....

 

[glass frog]

It isn't a rare plant by any means you can find them all over where they are completely neglected which is what you want.

 

[Rhesus Feist]

Sorry if that came off as condescending or preachy, wasn't trying to be.

As others have said, Rhodos/Azaleas are decent medium durability leaves so if you can find some that you know are clean, they are a nice addition to add variety to your leaf litter. Might be worth adding a few to your yard for the leaves. They have big showy flowers too during the summer

 

[Edhurl]

Not preachy.... I like direct, thank you. I might have to think aboit putting some in my yard