Rhododendron 2015

[TC]

On a visit to Logan gardens on the 8th, I was somewhat surprised to see a Rh. flowering at this time of year -Rhododendron Kyawii also complete with attractive leaves.

[Roma]

Rhododendron forrestii repens flowering now.

[johnw]

The very, very dwarf form of R. pseudochrysanthum at Anitra's garden yesterday.  Circa 8 years old from a 2" pot!

john

[Garden Prince]

I had a pot of Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum seedlings (normal form) that I sowed this spring but unfortunately all the seedlings were eaten by some creature. I suspected a slug or snail was responsible for this but I didn't see a slug trail which is usually present when these slimy creatures have been around. Could mice have eaten my R. pseudochrysanthum seedlings? Another peculiar thing: only the pseudochrysanthum seedlings were eaten, the other pots with  Rhododendron seedlings that were right next to it were untouched.

Fortunately still got some nice seedlings sown from American Rhododendron Society seed.
In the picture seedlings from:

-- (bureavii x yakushimanum) x kesangiae
-- yakushimanum (Exbury) x pachysanthum

[johnw]

GP

Luck of the draw I guess with the pseudo seedlings.  Haven't noticed any susceptibility to insect damage gere aside from weevil damage.  I do find it a cranky species top get going from seed, and the dwarf one particularly so.

I have a few plants of (bur. x yak) x kesangiae that I did years ago and they are still small plants but yours looks very good.

john

[Maggi Young]

From Facebook - a post by Richard Baines, Curator of Logan Botanic Garden,  about the flower buds froming on a Rhodo grown from seed from North Vietnam (source  )

First flower buds on CW &T 6442  (Clark, Wilson and Taggart)   - unsure of species as yet - hopes it is a yellow maddenia.

[Corrado & Rina]

Dear all,

Leaves turning yellow and brown .... is this normal?

R. campylogynum



R.fastigiatum

[johnw]

The yellowing leaves at this time of year is perfectly normal.  Some of those leaves are last year's.  However some are this year's - the latter older ones along the current year's stem but not not terminal ones - indicating insufficient sunlight.

Your campylogynum and fastigiatum should be extremely compact, more sun will help cure this once planted in the ground.

I trust there are holes in the bottom of that white bucket.

johnw - +4c & sunny 

[Corrado & Rina]

Hi John!

So they need more sunlight? I thought they needed less hence I move them in a darker place .... They are actually very very compact .... particularly the fastigiatum. I am not going to move them to the ground, I will grow them in containers, because our soil is quite chalky.

PS: Of course the bucket has holes ....

[johnw]

The fastigiatum is the one to the left in another white bucket? Whereas the centre one looks like a Saluenensia species.

Here's fastigiatum in the garden planted about 1974. Pic over-exposed I'm afraid but note the indicative bluish foliage.

john

[Corrado & Rina]

The one I bought as R.fastigiatum is the one in the centre of the second picture.

Best,

[Tomasz Cyba]

After its first winter in cold Polish soil my Rh. sinofalconeri C&H 7183 put up over 30 cm of growth this year. It seems it likes it here, and it's here to stay.

[Maggi Young]

Very satisfying for you to see that growth, Tomasz. I hope it continues to grow well for you - I'll be waiting with you for its first flowers in a few years time.

[ian mcdonald]

Roma, good to see your R. forrestii in flower. Mine died, probably too dry. I have now replaced with R. carmen, a hybrid with forrestii, to see if it is more hardy here.

[johnw]

Tomasz

That's great news on Rh. sinofalconeri C&H 7183. Everyone has been recommending it as one to try in cold places like here.  What was the lowest temperature it endured?

The other one is the dwarf alpine macabeanum which I haven't tried yet.  Here's a cross of brachycarpum Tigetstedtii x macabeanum by Ron Rabideau which looks so much like macabeanum itself.  That's George Woodard, head gardener at the Phipp's Estate standing by it, he has done the same cross and it is his only hybrid the New York Botanic Garden has agreed to grow, it is spectacular.

johnw - we need a few good light frosts to prepare things for the inevitable plunge.