"Random branches keep dying on my rhododendron. I cut them off, but then sometime later another branch wilts and dies. Why does it occur?"
This disease is commonly called Rhododendron Dieback. It's caused by a fungus (Botryosphaeria), and the symptoms are just as you describe: a branch wilts and dies on an otherwise healthy-looking plant. The bad news is that there's no sure cure for this disease, but keeping your plants healthy and unstressed will aid in control. Don't let them suffer from drought, cut off any diseased parts (sterilize your pruners with a 10% bleach solution to ensure you don't spread the disease), and make sure the plants are well mulched and in well drained soil. Planting a resistant variety helps. Boursalt, Cunningham's White, English Roseum, and Chionoides have shown resistance to this problem.
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