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Antique Roses Roses Azalea & Rhododendron

I have no idea when this rhododendron was planted...

last year

We inherited it from my DH's ancestors when we moved into our house - the oldest it can be is 1905, when the house came into his family, but of course it could be much younger than that. it was here in 1989 when we moved in. I love love it - the blooms are so delicate and graceful. I have been told it might be rootstock, and I found somewhere that rhododendrons stopped being commercially grafted in the US in the 1950s, so maybe it is rootstock from the 50s or before. Who knows?

Any thoughts on comments anyone might have would be really appreciated. This pic is from several years ago - right now it is covered in buds and about to bloom, but has not bloomed yet because we are still recuperating from almost 4 months of steady cold (for here) rainstorms.

Jackie

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jacqueline9CA
Original Author

last year

Here is in Northern Calif., near SF Bay. Zone 9 trending towards 10. In a garden which has been gardened by the same family (my DH's) for 117 years. The beds are mostly clay based loam. This rhododendron is growing in an old part of the garden which has not been much disturbed.

Jackie

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Comments (11)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
Where is here exactly? Different rhodies flourish in different areas so that can be important to know.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
Possibly 'Daphnoides', which is a very old but still very popular cultivar.

Wow!! That is very impressive to garden on a property that has been maintained by the same family for over 100 years!! It must be beautiful.

And I though the 50 year old rhodies I inherited with my current garden were impressive. Maybe not so much except for size. Some of the are huge!!
jacqueline9CA
Original Author
last year
Thank you, gardengal. I looked up Daphnoides, and I think mine is less pink, and the blooms less full. (Pic below).

Another question - I looked at the database on the American Rhoddodedron Society's website, and it has lots of info, but not the date the cultivars were introduced. Do you know of a database of rhododendrons which contains that info?

Jackie
Artist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
last year
Its a beautiful rhodo very similar to the one on our property. I don't have a name or more info for mine either, it came with the house which was built in the 80's.
luis_pr
last year
last modified: last year
The International Rhododendron Registrar, published by The Royal Horticultural Society in London, is the largest collection of names but it basically has what I call "descriptive or historical documentation" on the various cultivars, not necessarily arranged to find an introductory date easily or obviously for each entry: https://www.rhodogroup-rhs.org/publications/books/rhodo-register
jacqueline9CA
Original Author
last year
luis_pr - Thank You.! What an amazing thing! The "Guide" to it is 68 pages long, so I am saving the link somewhere safe until I have a chance to try and look at the database.

Jackie
ingrid_vc zone 10 San Diego County
last year
I didn't think I was a lover of rhodies, but yours is truly beautiful, Jackie. I think what I like is that yours is a more graceful and natural-looking specimen and doesn't have those plastic-looking leaves that so many of the modern cultivars do.

Artist, your plant is also lovely, and the color and size of the flowers makes it a very showy plant without however having the "look" that I don't care for. I imagine that with a species that has so many cultivars even super picky me could find a few to admire.
jacqueline9CA
Original Author
last year
Ingrid - Have you ever seen the incredibly tall climbing (a species, I presume) rhododendrons which grow in second growth redwood forests? I have seen them in parks on the Northern Coast of California - they can be several stories tall, and are graceful and natural looking, of course.

Jackie
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
Probably Rhododendron macrophyllum, or Pacific rhododendron, native to much of the west coast. It grows to 30' or more and is a common presence in PNW coastal forests. It is not a climber but it could look like one :-)

It is Washington's state flower.
ingrid_vc zone 10 San Diego County
last year
I had to look that one up, and except for its height it looks a bit like yours, Jackie. How I'd love to see that one among the trees. Perhaps yours is its little brother.

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