Purple/Blue Dwarf Rhodo for ID

[Graham Catlow]

Hi,
Maggi, I hope you don't mind but I thought it was a good idea to start this again in a new thread so as not to confuse,and so it doesn't get lost in 'Everyone should have some thread'.

This is a deep blue almost purple dwarf rhodo (the phot has washed out the colour) that I have had for some 15 years. It was probably no more than 10-20 cm high when I bought it. It measures just under 1m wide x just under 1m high.
The main photo was taken in mid April.
It is compact in its growth. In full sun all day.

Photos:
In bloom - April
Old/mature leaves
Old/mature leaves
Underside of the leaves
New growth

I hope some one can help.

Thanks in advance.

[Maggi Young]

Good idea, Graham...... I'll post a link to the comments made in the other thread  .....
see from here :  Re: Rhododendron... every garden should have some
« Reply #296 on: June 06, 2010, 12:03:00 PM » http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=10.msg155236#msg155236
 through various posts, 297, 298  on that page,
Post  305   http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=10.msg155258#msg155258   and 306  to 314 on that page...
  and posts 315 to 317 on this page : http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=10.315

I can't split them out to this topic because there are cross references to other plants and photos included. Hope folks can follow this trail and further contribute here.....

[Onion]

Graham,

I'm not a expert for these part of the rhododendrons.
See your picture in the rhododendron thread I was think it is 'Blue Wonder'. Look at this page with the link.
 
http://www.boehlje.de/Sortiment/Wildarten_und_Formen/lepidote_Wildarten_-_Kleinblaettrige-.html

[johnw]

Uli - Blue Wonder would make sense. It's the new growth that caused me problems.  Blue Wonder is russatum x augustinii and those new shoots in the last posting say augustinii.

johnw

[Graham Catlow]

Hi, Uli and John,

It's really difficult for me to comment because until these last few days I had no idea things could be so complicated. So many different forms You really do need to be an expert! I have been reading what I could find via Google.
All I can do is hope that someone decides its close to something. I have looked at what Glendoick, (which is where I'm sure I would have bought it from), is selling now but nothing rings a bell. Some look very like others and more than one looks like mine.

Perhaps we will never know definitively.

I am away for a few days now so if anyone posts I will not be able to answer. My apologies.

Graham

[johnw]

Perhaps we will never know definitively.

Graham

Graham - At least it got my brain activated.  If I hadn't seen an augustinii flushing out today I may never have clicked to it.  At least we know it's got some aug in it but just count the augustinii hybriods and it will make your head spin.

johnw