Shining Rhododendron is a shrub, 1.5–4 m tall, characterized by shining, blood-red flowers and evergreen foliage. The species name fulgens means shining. Young shoots and leaf-stalks are hairless. Leaf stalk 1–2.5 cm, leaf blade leathery, oblong-ovate to obovate, 6–11 cm long and 4.5–7 cm wide. The base is rounded or slightly heart-shaped. Tip is rounded, with a small point. The underside is densely woolly, and upper side is glossy and hairless. Inflorescence is a compact 8–14 flowered umbel. Flower-stalk is 1 cm. Sepal cup is red, 1–2 mm. Flowers are tubular- bellshaped, fleshy, scarlet to blood-red, unspotted, 2–3.5 cm, with 5 dark red nectar pouches at base inside. Petals are 5, and stamens unequal, 1–2.2 cm. Anthers are chocolate brown. Capsule is narrowly elongate- cylindric, slightly curved, 1–3 cm long, 4–8 mm wide. Shining Rhododendron is found in the Himalayas, from Bhutan to Sikkim, at altitudes of 3300–4500 m. Flowering: April–May.