Rhododendrons 2014

[johnw]

Fermi -  It is so so rare and even rarer alive.

I know 2 people who grow it in North America.  June Sinclair in Port Ludlow, WA. had a 10" plant growing in a spot where a stump had been. Gradually the spot starting to sink as the bark rotted and she had to lift and raise the planting level. It did not take kindly to that but survived by a thread.  A friend in BC has/had a layer off June's.  I had a 2" wide seedling from Barry Starling seed in a trough but it did not make it through the second winter in the cool ghouse as it got too dry I think.

Barry Starling grows it in the UK, Aberconwy Nurseries in the UK sells it, Ron Mcbeth used to sell it and obviously John Mitchell grows it to absolute perfection given the lustiness shown in that photo.  Lesley may grow it.

Barry tells me if you grow seed of the Glendoick hybrid Pipit  - a lepidotum x lowndesii cross - you will get easier to grow seedlings similar to lowndesii itself.  I know of only one other hybrid, again by Glendoick, called Wagtail which they sell.  Here it is deciduous and reminiscent of lowndesii so I guess I should be thankful for at least that.

What it wants?  I'm not the one to ask - sharp drainage, sun, no heat, evenly moist, gritty soil and I doubt it can take much below -8 to -10c would be a guess.

Funny this picture should appear now as I just had a very dark purple lapponicum flower yesterday and I was thinking if only I could lay my hands on some lepidotum or better still lowndesii pollen, now that would make for a cranky hybrid.

johnw

 

[Diane Clement]

Barry Starling grows it in the UK, Aberconwy Nurseries in the UK sells it, Ron Mcbeth used to sell it and obviously John Mitchell grows it to absolute perfection given the lustiness shown in that photo.  Lesley may grow it. 

And Dave Mountfort showed it at Southport show a couple of weeks ago where it was awarded a Certificate of Merit:

http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/shows/results/shows2014/shows/southpor/images/Don_Peace/sizedRhododendron_lowndesii_-_Dave_Mountford_-_P1070427.JPG.html#top

I've kept it alive for a few years, but only ever one flower and now it is no more 

[David Nicholson]

Extract from Aberconwy Nursery Spring List:-

"We have some nice little plants of Rhododendron lowndesii (£8). This deciduous Rhododendron is one of the smallest and one of the most challenging, often growing no more than 2" high."

Of course they may not have any left now.

[johnw]

£8! I'll take 50.

[Otto Fauser]

Fermi , I grew a thriving Rh. lowndesii from a tiny cutting received from Barry Starling some 30 years ago and after 10 years spread to about 20cm square , flowering freely. until one very hot ,dry summer it died . I think from memory mine was a slightly deepershade of yellow. Luckily 'PIPIT' is still growing happily here.
  Rh.ludlowii onlylasted about 5 years ,but I managed to cross it with keiskei var. cordifolia . This hybrid is very dwarf ,free flowering and easy to strike from cuttings . so far unnamed.

[johnw]

Otto - Impressive feats there!

Did you treat lowndesii as one would a seedling camtschaticum?  The last one I had sowed on a peat block in a trough and my thought is as the peat starts to deteriorate one would have to dig and transplant.  Of course the peat dried out before we got to that point.

5 years for a ludlowii, that's old age. Isn't there 20 ludlowii years to a human year? 

Did your keiskei x ludlowii hybrid resemble Wren which by the way is just out now?

johnw

[Robert]

It is that time of year.

R. cumberlandense

These are placed around the garden here and there adding some bright color that I like.

Another plus is they do not grow large. It is clear that we are going to lose some of our rhododendrons this season because of the drought. I hate to see the plants die, but I have to admit that it does not upset me either. The smaller rhododendrons (azaleas) need less water than the larger growing species and others are clearly "drought tolerant" such as R. racemosum and others. Also, this is an opportunity to test my hybrids for "drought tolerance". So for me it can be enlightening.

[fermi de Sousa]

R. cumberlandense

These are placed around the garden here and there adding some bright color that I like.

I can understand why you like it, Robert.
Reminds me of Streptosolen jamesonii
Are they native to your region?
 I wonder if they'd handle our conditions? Must see if any of the Aus Rhodo Group grow it,
cheers
fermi

[Robert]

Fermi,

Most of the azalea species native to the southeastern U.S.A. do extremely well for us, including R. cumberlandense. I've been surprised by how they can withstand short periods with dry soil conditions; recover, blooming well and still having nice fall color. Despite the 38 plus c. weather all summer, we get away with watering our azaleas once a week once they are established (and most of our other rhododendrons too). Lots of organic mulch around the plants helps, I'm sure.

Some of our Southeastern azaleas are also growing in near full sun. The flowers last longer with afternoon shade, but the trade off is fewer flower buds. It has to stay above 42c for a number of days before the foliage burns on those in afternoon sun.

Another consideration for us is R. occidentale, our native Western Azalea. Plants from coastal areas die or do so poorly that they are not worth growing. Plants from the Sierra Nevada thrive - they can take heat, sun, and almost anything else except poor soil drainage. Some of ours have brilliant scarlet fall foliage and we have clones that start blooming in early March. The late clones blooming in June.

I'm please with what we can do with rhododendrons and deciduous azaleas in our hot, dry climate, even without massive amounts of water.

I keep looking for a genetic dwarf form of our Sierra Nevada R. occidentale. No luck yet, but then I enjoy bushwhacking in our remote canyons and mountains.

[Robert]

The weather is getting quite warm now. It looks as if we will be getting our first 38-40c temperatures for the season this weekend.

This is when our heat tolerant, fragrant deciduous azaleas are divine! Even in the cool of the morning the fragrance is strong. During the evening it is even better. This R. arborescens is near our bedroom window where the fragrance enters the room all night long and sweet dreams!

I can understand why you like it, Robert.
Reminds me of Streptosolen jamesonii
Are they native to your region?
 I wonder if they'd handle our conditions? Must see if any of the Aus Rhodo Group grow it,
cheers
fermi

Fermi,

I will be at our Sacramento Valley home today and will cross pollinate some of our R. cumberlandense. I can mail you some seed when they are ready if you like. Needless to say, all heat tolerant clones!

[Roma]

My Azaleas were at their best 2 or 3 weeks ago

[Roma]

Azalea 'Narcissiflora'  has a beautiful scent
'Rosebud'  is looking healthier and flowered much better than it has done for years
This one is also scented and is later to flower - I did get it identified on the forum ?last year  ?a few years ago - but have forgotten its name

[Robert]

Roma,

Beautiful Azaleas!

The 'Narcissiflora' in our garden is about 40 years old and is huge as I have never pruned on it. In all those years, I have never noticed it having much in the way of fragrance - it must be our climate. I love fragrance in the garden, especially on summer evenings when it is much more comfortable out in the garden than in the house.

Sadly, our summer azaleas are a disaster so far. We are having day after day of 39-40c heat and 30% less water this season due to the drought. The azaleas are tough and will survive. Many of the older elepidote rhododendrons will not survive - and the garden will take on a new form. For me this not a loss but a new beginning. 

[johnw]

This one is also scented and is later to flower - I did get it identified on the forum ?last year  ?a few years ago - but have forgotten its name

Roma  - You certainly are hotting up the highlands there.  What a show!

I recall that scented one - viscosum or arborescens or a hybrid between.  I can never remember the diff.  Looks like Roberts arborescens but that should be the very last (before prunifolium in Septemeber that is).

john

[Robert]

I'm sure that it is no surprise  , here in California our R. prunifoliums generally bloom the first week of August. At least up the mountain at the farm. We have one R. pruniflorum planted at our garden in the Sacramento valley that blooms in mid-July. It was said to be an early form but I have nothing to compare it to in that garden.

The rhododendrons in our valley garden are growing on class 1 farm soil. They are holding up to the drought much better than those planted up at the farm on cra    soil. The R. viscosum flower buds are showing color and drying-up at same time. We still have R. arborescens georgianum (July), what we call the 'Summer of Love' deciduous azaleas (All very young plants, late June, July and August), and R. viscosum var. serrulatum (September) coming on. This year who knows?

The Ag customers have a meeting with the irrigation district on June 23. There has been plenty of saber rattling from the irrigation district so I'm glad that I'm down sizing. Well, change is one thing that I can depend on.

Roma, thanks for sharing the beautiful azalea photographs.

John, thank you for sharing your expertise.