Rhododenron ID help please

[Steve Garvie]

I would be grateful for any help in the naming of these two medium-large species (not hybrids) bought from Glendoick c20 years ago; the labels are long lost.

I thought the first might be a form of R. wardii but it is always fairly early in flower (from 1st week of March). I haven't a clue about the second which has only produced flowers for the last 3 years -the trusses are very attractive.

[johnw]

Steve  - Jens thinks the first might be citriniflorum and says "(nectar pouches)".  It's one that always escapes me as I can't get the orange var. horaeum out of my head when I think of that species.  See why?  (Both photos by JCBirck)

john

 

[Steve Garvie]

Thanks John.
I have vague memories of thinking that I had bought an orange flowered rhodo -only for it to flower yellow, so I think you are spot on with citriniflorum.

Any ideas regarding the second plant?

[johnw]

Steve - Jens thinks the second "might be elegantulum".   I don't have his expertise but the leaf stance and long shoots look odd to me & wonder if it could be a hybrid, pure speculation and could be your climate.

Three elegantulum pix -

1. Jens Birck's

2. Jens Nielsen's photo in the wild and sent to drive me crazy, of course he told me what it was many weeks later.

3. one here in Halifax @ Rockburn.  It's a very compact species here.

johnw

[Steve Garvie]

Steve - Jens thinks the second "might be elegantulum".   I don't have his expertise but the leaf stance and long shoots look odd to me & wonder if it could be a hybrid, pure speculation and could be your climate.

johnw

Thanks John.
My plant is growng in too much shade which may have influenced its appearance.
I've checked the underleaf surface -there is indumentum.
I think you are right: it is either elegantulum or a hybrid thereof.

[Maggi Young]

A very acidic pink in the flowers of Steve's  "elegantulum" - more soe than in mine, even  before the flowers fade -  here are a few pix  plus a link or two  to more  http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10.msg8619#msg8619
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=1530.msg38551#msg38551

[David Nicholson]

A very acidic pink in the flowers of Steve's  "elegantulum" - more soe than in mine, even  before the flowers fade -  here are a few pix  plus a link or two  to more  http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10.msg8619#msg8619
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=1530.msg38551#msg38551

Nice Maggi, what sort of height do they grow to, would I get away with a pot?

[Maggi Young]

Well, you might for a few years, David  - but it's a biggish plant in the end and it wouldn't look too good in a pot except for a year or two while very young.  Mine is now  about 3m high and about he same across.  We're raising the stem every so often to get a more tree-like appearance and give under-planting space but if left to its own devices it would be a big fat, beautiful shrub.

For a pot I'd go for a  R. pachysanthum- if I wanted a good flower and fine foliage - other than a species  yakushimanum  that is - it keeps  shorter for  longer  (if you follow me)  and can have a neat growth habit which would look good  in a big pot.
By and large though, I feel the smaller leaved rhodos look better in pots. Those with even   'standard-sized' leaves, l think, tend to look too ungainly in a pot.

[ashley]

Beautiful indumentum. 

[David Nicholson]

Cheers for that Maggi. From the Plant Finder I've found a stockist for Rhododendron pachsanthum (in theory anyway!) at a Nursery in Kent (G Reuthe Ltd no web site) so I'll be on the blower on Monday to check. We have a few days break planned in Kent next month.