Wind Protection

• Rhododendrons in cold, wintry climates appreciate the protection afforded by the cover of any tree---including pines. "An overstory of trees provides them with some shelter from the drying effects of sun and wind when the ground is frozen," says Margery Daughtrey of the Long Island Horticultural Research Laboratory.
  
  

Considerations

• The selection of trees to place a rhododendron near or under can be based on both damage control and aesthetics. "Evergreen shrubs or trees such as pine, juniper or spruce planted to the south or west of rhododendrons protect them and make good backgrounds for showing off the flowers," the University of Missouri Extension Service explains.
  
  

Pine Tree Soil

• The Ohio State University Horticulture and Crop Science Department advises gardeners to place a rhododendron under the partial shade of a pine tree, provided the area possesses acidic soil and sufficient, well-irrigated moisture. Rhododendrons perform well in areas with quality concentrations of organic mulch---a need fulfilled by falling pine needles.