Cluster labels are cut off on horizontal hclust dendrogram

Question

I used hclust and as.dendogram to make a dendrogram, but when I rotate it to a horizontal orientation, the model names are cut off. How can I make sure that the plot shows the entire model names?

Answer 1

You need to play with the margin. Here is an example (it also uses dendextend to give extra control over the color and shape of the dendrogram)

library(dendextend)
library(dplyr)
small_mtcars <- head(mtcars) %>% select(mpg, cyl, disp)
small_mtcars

d1 = small_mtcars %>% dist() %>% hclust(method = "average") %>% as.dendrogram() 
library(colorspace)
some_colors <- rainbow_hcl(nrow(small_mtcars))
d1_col <- some_colors[order.dendrogram(d1)]
# some colors for fun
d1 <- d1     %>% 
        set("labels_cex",1.2) %>% 
        set("labels_colors", value= d1_col) %>% 
        set("leaves_pch", 19) %>%
        set("leaves_cex", 2) %>%
        set("leaves_col", value= d1_col) 

par(mfrow = c(1,2))

par(mar = c(2,2,2,2))
d1 %>% 

    plot(main="d1 (bad margins)", horiz = TRUE)

par(mar = c(2,2,2,10))
d1 %>% 
    set("labels_cex",1.2) %>% 
    plot(main="d1 (good margins)", horiz = TRUE)