Rhododendron... every garden should have some

[johnw]

John,

wow.
Is var. taguetii famous for this autumn fire? I only knew R. mucronulatum with yellow-green autumn leaves. No red in it.

Uli - These dwarf ones now known as var. taquetii always colour up well as you see.  My regular pink mucronulatum which is the oldest rhododendron I have was planted in 1973 and is 3 meters high.  It has never been frosted in all those years. Mostly yellow in the autumn but it does have a bit of red as well.  Plenty of op seed on the dwarf one and at least 30-40% come true & they are easily sorted out.  Let me know if you neeed any, they flower in a year or so.

Diane - This dwarf mucronulatum came from the RSF, possibly collected by Warren Berg. I would have to go through my records to see when I got it but would have guessed about 1984 or 5. This var. is great for a rock garden, now circa 65cm high and a bit wider, the trunk is about 10-12cm in diameter and slightly peeling.  I have a few new ones received as seed labelled v. ciliatum.  I think it is Davidian who casually mentions it, perhaps as a synonym.  These new ones are red/pink and I should check the colour of the autumn foliage. Crossed it with spinuliferum this past Spring.  I would love to get my hands on the dwarf white one which is delectable.  I know one person in Japan with it but it has yet to set seed from selfing.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

I think correct spelling for John's fiery cutie is Rhododendron mucronulatum var taquetii

[johnw]

I think correct spelling for John's fiery cutie is Rhododendron mucronulatum var taquetii

No surprise you caught that one Maggi.  I should have stuck with var. chejuensis!

The pink R. trichostomum ex Jens Birck is in full flower here along with 'Bridal Bouquet' (a sargentianum hybrid) and scads of the Lapponica species.

johnw

[johnw]

The pink/red flowered dwarves have red autumn foliage. Just checked.

johnw

[Diane Whitehead]

I'm pretty sure mine has white flowers, but I've never photographed it.

[johnw]

I'm pretty sure mine has white flowers, but I've never photographed it.

Diane

If so you really lucked out, it's a real rarity.  Somewhere I have a picture of it and crossed with edgeworthii.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

mucronulatum seems a strange bedfellow for  edgeworthii ? 

I would worry in crossing a deciduous variety with an evergreen that it would  be too good an excuse for the resulting plant to be throwing its leaves off all the time!
 
Maybe I'm just cheesed off because the deciduous species don't do very well  in my garden. 

[johnw]

mucronulatum seems a strange bedfellow for  edgeworthii ?  

Luckily such matings were legalized here some years ago.  

Here:

the white dwarf mucronulatum (you should try it in the driest spot in the rock garden, maybe in a big trough with lots of grit - this is where it self sows here.)

my crosses using the dwarf with:

dendrocharis
leucaspis
camplyogynum

Interestingly all can be deciduous if we have a brutal winter. They usually are evergreen though.

johnw

[FrazerHenderson]

In flower today - R. goodenoughii - and some buds to come

[Ragged Robin]

Simply beautiful Frazer - is it scented?

[FrazerHenderson]

I have a shocking sense of smell - I can only really discern lillies, however, I'm reliably informed that it is sweetly scented (as is the case with most Vireyas). The plant is found in upland Papua New Guinea.

[Ragged Robin]

Thanks Frazer...I would like to more about these Rhodos so will do some research 

[Pascal B]

Try http://www.vireya.net/

[Tony Willis]

Frazer that is lovely and what a marvellous site to look at others

[Hoy]

No flowers yet here! But while waiting for the white cap to be substituted by a red one I can enjoy the colour of the leaves.