Rhododendrons for Fabulous Flowers

While typical foliage can throw the whole season — provide grain , colour , and tenacity in the garden — it is impossible to refuse the office of flora such as rhododendrons when in full bloom . The glory of bounce is heralded by these garden stalwarts . Individual flowers may be campana forge or strongly reflexed , borne severally or packed together en masse in truss of different shapes . I guess many masses have been twist off to rhodies , as some flash lavender and pink selections are seen much more often than some with more atypical colors . While these gimcrack colors probably act the bulk of species and cross , there is much diverseness that is left underutilized .

‘Henry’s Red’ tolerates cold weather and has blooms that sizzle

Many fine rhododendron hybrids well suit to cooler garden were developed by Peter J. Mezitt of Weston Nurseries in Massachusetts . Ever take heed of PJM rhodies ? This is that guy ! spawn in a reliable Zone 5 , Mezitt used the rugged , Eastern North American native catawba rhododendron ( R. catawbiense , Zones 4–8 ) to produce many stout hybrids , and‘Henry ’s Red’(R.‘Henry ’s Red ’ , Zones 4–8 ) is one of my absolute favorites . While this cultivar does not build up a dull , compact form , I ’ll take its moderately candid and leggy form ( 3 to 5 understructure tall and 4 to 7 foot blanket ) for the glorious red blooms it produces in recent spring . ‘ Henry ’s Red ’ bluster flower of the deepest vermilion that I have ever seen . The flower colour of this selection is so rich that it can almost be lost in the background of a shady garden unless illuminated by some dappled sun . It does n’t scream across the garden , but beckons subtly to passersby to take a close smell . A full habit can be achieved with selective pruning just after blossom ends and by providing good morning sun ( which it favour ) to help keep its habit more squat and less lanky .

‘Lemon Dream’ offers a unique bloom color on a dainty frame

I am a mark for tiny rhodies . While towering specimens can not be denied their lauds as they blossom in military unit in former spring and overshadow their homesteads with eruptions of lavender blooms , such plants are not as easily work into garden . ‘Lemon Dream’(R.‘Lemon Dream ’ , zona 5–8 ) has many unique and interesting traits that make it valuable and worthy of broader landscape painting use , especially at a sizing of only 2 to 3 feet tall and broad . Its flower trusses are not astounding in term of flower turn , but they are outstanding in build and gloss . As buds come on burst , they ooze astonishingly varied tones of yellow , and the flower open to a touchy butter color . Very few evergreen plant rhodies in this colour will endure in gardens north of Zone 7 , but ‘ Lemon Dream ’ does . Its dainty , bell - shape blooms can sport unmarried or double frame , and they have an undulating frill .

The foliage of this excerpt is typical in that the leave are very round , extend nice contrast in a grouping with other rhodies . It is a small , compact plant even at matureness , score it complete for garden of any size of it . As it is derived from Yak ancestry ( R. degronianumsubsp.yakushimanum ) , this hybrid demonstrates dense foliage cover and decent wintertime hardiness .

‘Cherry Cheesecake’ has the most multifaceted blooms of the bunch

As lead by coevolution with pollinators , many rhododendrons show directing spying on the superscript ( upper ) petal into the pharynx of their blossoms . Plant breeder have employed these nectar main road , take ing those with big , bolder mark to produce hybrids . A bold , contrasting blotch is almost a criterion in many intercrossed rhodies , and it is a adorable trait . loanblend such as the decadent‘Cherry Cheesecake’(R.‘Cherry Cheesecake ’ , Zones 5–8 ) have unbelievable splodge and supply another layer of frost . Beyond the bluff , cherry tree - red topographic point that sweeten the snowy white petals , a distinctive pinkish picotee frosts the edges of the entire flower . This framing allow for a picture - in - picture effect and is extremely glossy .

It ’s difficult to deny that these delicious blooms are anything less than the independent course of study in the springiness garden . This midsize hybrid ( 4 to 5 feet tall and wide ) begrudge hot sites ; it showed some leafage drop when I rank it in one . I have since tried it in another plaza , with bright shade and more evenly moist soils , and have been consider a better , fuller habit with healthy foliage .

‘Cornell Pink’ Korean rhododendron is so floriferous, it’s almost garish

There are nowhere near enough selections of Korean rhododendron . The most widely available cultivar,‘Cornell Pink ’ ( R. mucronulatum‘Cornell Pink ’ , Zones 4–8 ) , is a reliable performing artist but not as popular in the landscape painting as I would have expect based on its outstanding utility . It ’s winter hardy in just about all of the continental United States , and it turns all heads when it flaunts frilly flowered trusses of shocking , bright pink in the leaping sun . The earliest - bloom rhodie that I grow , this one just shine as flowers are pose on nude , smooth , gray-haired theme .

‘ Cornell Pink ’ is not shy in fall and gets disembarrass of its leaves like a pair of high heels on Friday night after work , settling into more restful attire for the off - time of year . Its open , 4 - to-5 - foot - tall and 3 - to-4 - foot - wide-cut use can take pruning without missing a step , and it does n’t mind a fair amount of Sunday . Sadly , the foliation is demure and flyspeck , so it does n’t make much of a rhodie sieve , but if that ’s what you want , go buy a yew instead .

‘Calsap’ is arguably the king of flowering rhodies

In any discussion of rhododendrons prized for their floral economic value , it would be impossible for me not to mention‘Calsap’(R.‘Calsap ’ , Zones 4–8 ) . If I could nibble only one rhodie to produce for stunning bloom , this might well be that plant . I first saw it at Broken Arrow Nursery in Connecticut many days ago , and I at once and all fell in love . In recent fountain its pallid lavender bud undecided to display nearly snow white flower petal , emblazoned with a lusty wine splodge . Not only is it drop - dead gorgeous , but it ’s a tough sod too — reliably defend its buds into Zone 5 ( sometimes 4b)—and can be counted on for heavy blooming twelvemonth after class . This Herculean flower power — couple with the unobjectionable , light , and beautifully contrasting blooms — bring in ‘ Calsap ’ impossible not to gawk at . This rugged and vigorous cultivar can get big fast , developing an open habit of 5 to 6 feet tall and 4 feet broad if leave behind unmanaged . I have found that some wise pruning before long after bloom ebb can keep this beauty more compact , and it helps forestall winter damage from big snow loads . I ’d do darn near anything to see this ok choice cultivar covered with blossom in give .

‘Blue Baron’ is a royal treasure if you can find it a happy spot

There are many hybrid emerge from stock breeder trying to capture blue color in rhodie flowers . Many of these have pocket-size , violet flower and small leaves , and are on the tender last of the rhodie spectrum , perform best in Zones 7 and tender . But some can be used effectively in more northern climates with protection . Let me say you , it is worth pluck out the red carpet for some of these . ‘Blue Baron’(R.‘Blue Baron ’ , Zones 6–8 ) is a 3 - to-4 - foot - tall - and - blanket hybrid with which I have a special love / hate relationship . I adore its besotted class and pocket-size stature , its teeny leaves , and its amazing blue - violet flowers . Although it is not the most adaptable selection out there , the extra try need from growers is well worth it .

‘ Blue Baron ’ needs some winter tribute and is most felicitous in bright nicety . A little verbatim morning sun has not been an issue . It disdain being overwatered , as it ’s more prone to moulder than many other rhodies . tote up some moxie or sand to the soil below does help . These additional step are OK by me in ordering to get blooms of such a brilliant vividness , which are perhaps better described as iridescent “ blurple ” ( dark - purpleness ) but are nonetheless fantastic .

Daniel Robarts is a horticulturist and flora propagator / breeder at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay .

Sources

To learn more about rhododendron, view the entire collection:

Awesome, Underused Rhododendrons

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