Rhododendrons May 2008

[johnw]

And somewhere here, I have a short article in an old AGS Bulletin which tells about the origins and selection of `Yaku Fairy.' Of course I can't find it. My indices only go as far as Vol 30 so it must be after that. I seem to recall it was selected in the States, and it was maybe Tom Stuart who wrote about it, but the memory isn't 100 % reliable about such things. I'll try to fish it out sometime when I have nothing else to do.  (That isn't a grin actually, it's derisive, bordering on maniacal laughter.)

Leslie    - I think Barry wrote a short article in the RHS (The Garden or RCM Group?) about 10 years ago clarifying the history of Yaku Fairy. Maybe because it was listed in the Cox catalogue or book without the introducer's name or as an American selection. He got the AM in 1970 ex cw seed from Kuromi Peak, YI.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

I've found an article by Barry Starling in an AGS Bulletin of June 1972, in which he describes (his) 'Yaku Fairy' and its origins. He describes it as being infertile but that the plants sent to America proved to set fertile seed (as mine does, both the very dwarf, and 'YF.') While I have every respect for BS and his great skills with Ericaceae and other plants, I don't think the "non fertile" tag is of much significance in distinguishing the UK and USA plants, as many plants grown under alpine house conditions (as his was) don't set seed while the same plant does, outdoors. Likewise, some quite difficult plants grown in the UK don't set seed while the same plants do here or, say, in America or Australia.

In view of the timing (mine was a good year old when I received it in 1970) it is likely that we all have the same plant. Although Barry Starling says plants were sent from Japan to both the UK and western USA, my own contact Kazuo Mori said that there was A SINGLE PLANT of this exceptionally small form with absolutely no variation in size, or colour, which tends to endorse the single plant comment. If so, the plants sent to both UK and USA would have to have been seedlings from plants raised in cultivation, or seedlings raised from collected seed of the one YI plant or cutting grown, in which latter case they were the same clone. The seedlings he brought to NZ were from his own plant which was cutting grown from the Yaku Island plant. (BS Describes this plant as occupying several square metres). But BS's 'YF' (in the illustration in the AGS Bulletin) looks identical to my 'YF' though of a much younger plant, whereas my very dwarf form is twice as old as my 'YF' and only a fraction of the size. As a seedling of my original from KZ, it has grown absolutely true to size, shape and flower and foliage colour.


This is my `Yaku Fairy' and its dimensions at the moment are 60cms in diameter and 15cms high. It is worth noting that while my 'YF' is less than 15 years old, it continues to grow a little each year - perhaps 2 or 3 cms across - while the smaller plant apparently stopped putting on extra size maybe 5 years ago. Also, that many species grow smaller in the UK than they do here. probably because of our milder climate. Narcissus species as an example, grow to around 20% taller here than in England, an annoying trait when their smallness is a good part of the attraction.

[mark smyth]

Which is 'Lady Alice'? The last photo is mine. Unbelievable scent from mine and the other plant

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great stuff everyone ! 
What a wonderfully interesting thread this has turned out to be.

[johnw]

Leslie - I think you have an important plant there in your super dwarf keiskei v. cordifolia.  My point was mainly about 2 different plants from two different source getting the same name at the RSF. I hope they get it straightened out as YF should apply to only Barry's plant even though the WB plant is a fine one, Warren's crosses should never have been registered as YF crosses. I guess I'm a stickler.

I notice many rhodos do not produce good pollen in the alpine house and refuse to set seed. Interesting about BS' comments on the lack of seed on YF. That may have changed since he wrote the AGS article. My young YF from BS produces no seed and has never taken a cross, that I assume will change. PJM when it first came out was deemed sterile, after 10-15 years it started producing seed and a friend even got its pollen to take on keleticum.

Off to Prince Edward Island with a load of durian fruit in the car for a friend who has a Thai restaurant. I guess I will not be complaining about the Davidia smell by the time I get a few kms. out of the city. I hope it doesn't linger in clothes.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

Yeah, I did take your point John and by the time I'd finished my own post, realized the whole thing was so involved that it didn't mean much anyway. I should have deleted the lot.

Talking about being a stickler (me too, which is why I'd like to clear up the origin of my 'YF' but probably can't ever, the importer being long dead), would you care to notice on the left hand side of the page, how I spell my name?

And tell me about the durians because I thought these are a tropical fruit which, with respect, may not fit Nova Scotia. I understand the durian has a superb flavour if you can get past the obscene smell?

[johnw]

Lesley - Well the durians had just ripened on the tree in the yard so I took some to my friend.

Meanwhile re: YF. Kenneth Cox told me several years ago to let sleeping dogs rest on this one as the two will never be sorted out.  I was doubly confused (I think) as I thought you were asking about the identity of your Yaku Fairy (WB or BS), I now realize you are talking about your cordifolia! I must have been suffering from pre-durian asphyxiation.

I said my young Yaku Fairy (BS) had never set seed here and that is true but as I was driving down the road I realized that I have a keiskei 'Fairy's Fairy' that was selected by Joe Brueckner for heat tolerance in Toronto, Ontario. It is no match for YF but has managed to survive there for 30 years and is almost as large now as the original Starling plant. It is Yaku Fairy (Starling) selfed, so it does self! Dogs may now snooze for a very long time.

And to be truthful the durians are flown in weekly from Vietnam or Thailand to grocers here. They even fly in Thai basil from Vietnam every Thursday morning - can you imagine! - and it is cheaper than regular basil grown locally. By the way the durians cost $30 each and my friend's wife who is pregnant has a craving for them; friend just rolled his eyes as I came through the door with them. I thought he might be serving them. Not a chance a durian would even come through our summers.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

The poor dog, while trying to snooze, must feel it's getting a daily kick in the ribs. I WAS talking about my ssp. cordifolia but was also wondering about my 'YF's origin so I too, was thoroughly confused - and confusing, without a doubt. I suspect my 'YF' came from Cox's because Jim Lecomte who supplied it here, imported regularly from Peter. So probably, whatever clone Cox has, I have.

If the durians wouldn't come through even your summers, how come they've ripened on a tree in your yard? Sorry. I'm not really trying to be nit-picking, just curious.

[johnw]

The poor dog and durians............

If the durians wouldn't come through even your summers, how come they've ripened on a tree in your yard? Sorry. I'm not really trying to be nit-picking, just curious.

Lesley - I'm afraid I was pulling your leg in the opening sentence about the Nova Scotia durian crop.  I recanted in the final paragraph - bought them locally at great expense.

I suspect Cox was selling the true Yaku Fairy way back in the 1970's. I doubt he ever had Berg's imposter.

Now I shall decant.  And dogs may need one too.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

Oh dear, I must be losing it when I can't se when my leg's being pulled. Not as if I didn't have plenty of practice either, on this Forum!

Decanting's much more fun than recanting.

[johnw]

A shot of roxeianum Globigerum Group from earlier in the week. We cannot recall so many buds on this one ever.

The weather has been quite cool with little rain but just enough warm weather earlier in April to jump start the flowering of rhodos.

Heavy rain is predicted for Monday so perhaps it will make it across the pond to Mark and others suffering in a drought.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

Stunning roxieanum. It must be a fair age John?

[johnw]

Stunning roxieanum. It must be a fair age John?

Lesley:

It must be about 20 years old now. I guess that puts my rooted cutting of it in a different light, I may have to give it to a teenager.

A good long show from this seedling dwarf dauricum ex selected pink.  Have waited years to get a dwarf pink dauricum. From the leaves you would guess it to be a white.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

Here are two looking pretty today......

'Albert Schweitzer' is a robust hybrid, always giving a good show of large pink flowers

R. fortunei discolor is a spectacular plant... the foliage is good, new shoots eyecatching with their red bracts and the creamy flowers are large, glamorous and heavily scented......bliss!

[David Nicholson]

I love this thread it compensates a little for not having the space to grow some myself.