1995 ARS Seed Exchange - #899

From Allan & Shirley Anderson, New Jersey, another cross: {(Marybelle x Golden Star) x [Weldy x (aureum x maximum)]} X (Caroline x Yellow#1)

We can only find one plant from this cross, but it is quite an interesting one. It is an early bloomer for an elepidote. It will suffer some winter damage from time to time.

We sent off cuttings to be propagated, and got one back last spring (2007). It was blooming in the pot. Now we have two to watch.

The plant itself isn’t very spectacular, and is quite short (less than 3 ft.)

The “candy stripes” are quite evident in this picture, plus the calyx effect. Third photo. I guess we will have to think up a name of some sort for this one.

Sharon & Bill, The Willow Garden,
Antigonish, NS

Canada, zone 5b

http://www.willowgarden.net/

1992 ARS Seed Exchange - #765

Seed provided by Pat Walton, New Jersey, the cross is: Barbara Cook x Janet Blair .

Plants from this cross were among the first of Bill’s seedlings to bloom. There is a bit of sentimental favoritism attached to them. The first we named "Sproeten", which means ‘freckles’ in Dutch. She is quite a blousy sort, but performs well most years. First and second pictures.

There are a few other sibling plants, but one stands out above the others. We have dubbed this one "Ruby Lemon". She blooms a week or ten days later than "Sproeten", and has an interesting transition from pink, frilly buds to a burgundy throated yellow as the blooms age. Bottom three photos.

Sharon & Bill, The Willow Garden,Antigonish, NS
Canada, zone 5b
http://www.willowgarden.net/

1992 ARS Seed Exchange - #608

This seed was donated by Allan & Shirley Anderson, New Jersey. Big Deal X { Donna Hargrove x [Golden Star x (Catalgla x wardii)] } We have a dozen or more blooming plants from this cross. Several of the siblings represent quite good yellow forms that have done well for a number of years. Top photo represents the best yellow selection.

Most of the plants are quite upright in growth habit with good leaf cover. We have had all variations of bloom depending upon the severity of our winters. They do set flower buds with great dependability. There are also several more-or-less Ivory plants, some with slight blotches, others without.

One of the most dependable is one we have dubbed “Ivory Cloud”, a tall plant that is dependably in bloom each year. It is crowded by its neighbors, as are too many of our plants. Second photo.

There are even a couple of rather pretty pink ones in the crowd. Third and fourth photos.

Sharon & Bill, The Willow Garden,Antigonish, NS
Canada, zone 5b
http://www.willowgarden.net/

An Ode to Occidentale

I have a number of R. occidentale crosses from the seed exchange. R. occidentale was what got me started on Rhodies. "In 1963, my bride of one year, Karen, and I took our first vacation together and visited the central and southern Oregon coast. It was there that I met the second love of my life Rhododendron occidentale. While I had done a little vegetable gardening as a teenager and had weeded at our neighbor’s nursery, I had never met a plant that captured my fancy like Occidentale. We picked a few flowers and they perfumed the whole car. It was wonderful. We stopped at several nurseries along the highway but no one had "that weed". "Why would you want that thing?" they would ask. I finally became desperate. Near the road to Cape Blanco I spent some time crawling around under a big bush looking for small plants. I was worried about getting caught stealing a plant but finally found a couple of small ones. Since we lived in an apartment at the time, I planted these little things in my mother’s garden. I did learn that this was an Azalea. Several years past as did those small plants. My first contributions to Rhodie Heaven. In 1968, a friend gave us a membership in the Rhododendron Society as a Christmas gift. It was to be a fateful gift because that was the year that Dr. Frank Mossman wrote one of his first articles about R. Occidentale for the Quarterly Bulletin. Our mystery Azalea now had a name. The article noted that there would be seed available in the Seed Exchange the next February. I almost didn’t renew the membership as in those days as 12 bucks would buy a lot of groceries. However, a call from the membership chairman informed me that if I didn’t renew I wouldn’t get the seed exchange catalog. I paid up immediately. I bought several packets of seed and carefully planted them and much to my amazement, they grew.

1972 # 318. R. occidentale SM 28-3 X SM 28-2 HP Dr. Frank Mossman, Vancouver, WA. Both plants are small doubles found in the wild near Crescent City, CA by Britt Smith and Frank Mossman. The goal of the cross was double flowers. I have about 40 plants from this seed lot and all are doubles. I have used several as parents in an effort to develop a large double. I have also crossed them with a good red R. bakeri hybrid from David Leach. That was 1978 #272 R. bakeri ‘Scarlet Salute’ X R. bakeri ‘Camp’s Red’

1982 # 857 R. occidentale SM 30 (yellow on all 5 petals) X [(R. prunifolium X R. canescens) X R. occidentale] Large pink. Dr. Frank Mossman, Vancouver, WA made the cross.This produced several nice yellows.

Dick 'Red' Cavender

Sherwood, Oregon USA

Zone 8

1982 ARS Seed Exchange - # 1270

The kalmia seed was donated by Dr. Henery R. Schroeder, Jr. Evansville, The SE catalog said "Kalmia latifolia, Pink bud, HP". I have a number of plants from this lot. One is as good a red as Osbows ’Red Bud’. No photo. The dark red in the photo is being tissue cultured by Briggs Nursery. Their new plant person said he had never seen one that dark a red with a band. We will name it ‘Red Bandit’ if they are successful with the tissue culture.

Dick 'Red' Cavender

Sherwood, Oregon USA

Zone 8

1993 ARS Seed Exchange - #969

Janet Blair x Calsap. Seed donated by Roger Dunlap, Palos Park, Illinois.

5ft ML Flowers 3.2in(8.3cm) across, funnel-shaped. First opens pale pink with an orange brown blotch (top), ages white with a reddish blotch (bottom), in large round trusses of 20. Plant vigorous, compact, wider than tall; dense, dark foliage. Leaves held 3 years. Plant and bud hardy to at least -25 C/-13 F. A real 'good-doer' for zone 6a and likely colder. Roots easily from October cuttings.

Bruce Clyburn

New Waterford, N.S.

Canada

1977 ARS Seed Exchange - #437 - Vancouver USA

Hotei x (Crest x Roman Pottery) - seed donated by John Lofthouse, Courtenay B.C.

The object of the cross was yellow but most of the plants were pink. The City of Vancouver, Washington, USA selected this plant as their Centennial Plant in 1989. The parent plant is now growing on the front porch of the Vancouver City Hall. A committee from the City visited while we were at the ARS Convention in Eugene. Virginia Richards was one of the people that visited. I had other hybrids that I thought were better but they were not in bloom. This plant was and it was waving it’s flag in the middle of the field. The weather was quite warm and I cut this truss and put it in the refrigerator for the Portland Show the following weekend. There were a number of Washington people complaining that a plant grown by an Oregonian and hybridized by a Canadian was picked. However, the complaints ended when the truss won "Best New Hybrid" at the Portland show and beat out several of the competitor’s plants.

I have propagations that are about 4’ in 10 years. The plant buds well and has nice foliage. However, it’s a bit on the tender side. The winter of 1989 – 1990 we had a record low for my garden of +5 F. The parent plant was completely defoliated but every bud flowered with no damage. Nor was any of the wood damaged. It looked fine by mid June of 1990 after the new growth came out. It has not been damaged since. Flowering time is mid May locally.

Dick ‘Red’ Cavender
Sherwood, Oregon USA

Zone 8

1978 ARS Seed Exchange - #78-B -August Sunrise

R. arborescens o.p. ex. Calloway Gardens. This was a ‘Bonus Packet’ in 1978 and was probably a left over from 1977. Red has it as 78-B.

The plants were about 5 feet in 10 years and have never been damaged by cold in our garden. I have several sister seedlings and they range in color from the pink shown to light orange. The selected plant was chosen for it’s color, slight fragrance and late flowering time. Depending on the season, the plant will flower from early July through August, thus the name ‘August Sunrise’. The buds for next year are often set when it flowers. It is mildew resistant. Harold Greer is offering it in his catalog. The plant was registered in 2002.

Dick ‘Red’ Cavender
Sherwood, Oregon

USA Zone 8

1981 ARS Seed Exchange - #867 - Ellie Green

Janet Blair x R. strigillosum, the seed was donated by A. Fitzburgh of North Caldwell, NJ. Flowers in trusses of 15, openly funnel-shaped, 5 smooth-edged lobes, vivid purplish red with discrete strong purplish red spots on upper lobe; trusses 4.5in(11.5cm) high by 5in(12.7cm) wide. Foliage similar to R. strigillosum. Blooms in Franklin Lakes, NJ about May 1 on the average. The Andersons have one plant existing in Wilmette, Illinois. It has been well protected by a mature specimen of Janet Blair and it did bloom after winter 2005-06. The plant has been registered as Ellie Green (1994). Hardy to about -8°F. Color illustration in JARS Fall ’94, p. 214.


Allan and Shirley Anderson,
Franklin Lakes, NJ

1980 ARS Seed Exchange - # 549

The parents were R. bureavii x R. elliottii. The donor was Donald G. Paul of Washington state. Carl tells us:

"... the plant is now 2 m tall and full of buds every year. Heavy indumentum as R. bureavii. Never any damage, and that shows how a tender plant like elliottii can be used in hybridizing to create something hardier. It is one of the garden favourites. # 549 has been the partner in a number of hybrids presently growing in their 2nd-3rd year. It needs a bit of dwarfing to my liking."

R. elliottii - Large upright evergreen shrubs or small trees with tomentose and glandular young stems. The lanceolate to elliptic leaves have an attractive indumentum on both surfaces when they first emerge in mid- to late summer. The stunning funnel bell-shaped flowers (late spring to mid-summer) are scarlet to crimson with deeper-colored nectar pouches and spots. An attractive and rarely grown species which is vulnerable to early autumn frosts due to the late emergence of the new foliage. One of the most impressive of all red-flowered rhododendrons when grown well. Native only to NE India where it occurs in forests from 8,000 to 9,000 ft. Hardiness to +15 F. (Rhododendron Species Foundation)

# 549 is plant and bud hardy at least to -25 C/ -13 F.

Carl Adam Lehmann,

Klampenborg,

Denmark

2002 ARS Seed Exchange - # 56

It doesn't have to be about the flowers all the time! Seed donation by way of Jens Birck, Copenhagen, Denmark. The cross was Great Dane x R. rex. This is referred to as a 'back-cross' since R. rex was a parent of Great Dane. Great Dane = R. yakushimanum x R. rex registered by Jens. I think this might be as close as one will ever get to seeing a plant with R. rex characteristics in the ground in Cape Breton. Above is a file photo that I hope to replace this summer. The plant has just about completed its first winter in the ground and its looks excellent. I don't care if it ever flowered - such blasphemy!

Bruce Clyburn

New Waterford, N.S.

Canada

Zone 6a

2001 ARS Seed Exchange - # 3

Hand pollinated seed of a 'Gable's Yellow' arborescens, deciduous azalea from Earl W. Cordy, Williamstown, PA. The red stamens in contrast with the tangerine/yellow corolla really work well together. G.Y. is suggested to be really a R. arborescens x R. prunifolium hybrid. This seems to fit since there is no significant fragrance. I have seen photos of Gable's Yellow elsewhere on the www and they don't have the charm of this selection. Hardy at least to -25 F/ -13 F. Bloomed for first time this summer (2006).

Bruce Clyburn

New Waterford, N.S.

Canada

Zone 6a

1999 ARS Seed Exchange - # 478

Donated by Richard Brooks, Concord, MA. Casanova x (R. aureum x Prelude). Flower buds peach colored open to light greenish yellow, trusses of 12-14 flowers. Glossy, elliptical leaves. The seed parent is a well known David Leach introduction; pollen parent Bayport 80-5 is known far and wide in Nova Scotia. It is one of the rhododendrons from the work of Cpt. Richard Steele and has not been registered. Cpt. Steele has repeated this cross several times and even sibbed it to obtain many delightful low-growing, early blooming yellows. Some of the sister seedlings of #478 are being watched closely and others have nice yellow-pink blends. Hardiness so far has been at least plant and bud to -25 C/-13 F.

Bruce Clyburn

New Waterford, N.S.

Canada

Zone 6a

1991 ARS Seed Exchange - #662 - Mouse Pad

Apricot Fantasy x Janet Blair (1 of 3) seedlings, the seed was donated by John Nicollela. Difficult to describe the color of this flower, I will let the picture speak for itself. Each flower is about 4” (10 cm) across with a huge calyx that is nearly the same size and color as the corolla, which makes the flower appear to be hose in hose. The plant habit is low and spreading with very dark green leaves held for 2-3 years. Plant and bud hardy to at least -5F, -21C.

If you wonder where that name came from, Werner's wife and daughter had a mouse pad with a picture of this truss made for him as a birthday present several years ago. Of course, the mouse pad has long ago worn out, but the name stuck! Rhododendron is not registered at present.

Werner Brack

Saint James, NY

Note: Seed for this plant came from an ARS Chapter seed exchange. The same seed lot was also distributed by the ARS Seed Exchange.

1991 ARS Seed Exchange - # 662 - Peach Freckles

Apricot Fantasty x Janet Blair (1 of 3) seedlings, the seed was donated by John Nicollela. Dome shaped truss of 14 openly funnel shaped flowers, 7 wavy edged lobes, strong pink in bud, opening inside to pale purplish pink with the dorsal lobe and tube heavily speckled strong red. Truss 5.5” (14 cm) high by 6’ (15 cm) wide. Leaves held three years, dull and moderately olive green. Shrub 5’ (1.5 m) high by 6.7’ (2.0 m) wide in ten years. Plant and Bud hardy to at least-5F/-21 C. Rhododendron is registered.

Werner Brack

Saint James, NY

Note: Seed for this plant came from an ARS Chapter seed exchange. The same seed lot was also distributed by the ARS Seed Exchange.

1991 ARS Seed Exchange - #662 - Janet's Fantasy

Apricot Fantasy x Janet Blair (1 of 3) seedlings, the seed was donated by John Nicolella. Dome shaped truss of 14 openly funnel shaped flowers, 5 wavy edged lobes moderate yellowish pink in bud opening to to brilliant yellow with yellowish pink margins and moderate orange dorsal spots.Truss is 4” (10 cm) x 5” (12.5 cm) wide. Shrub is upright growing with an open habit, leaves are held 2 years. Plant and bud hardy to at least -5F / -21C. Rhododendron is registered.

Werner Brack
Saint James, NY

Note: Seed for this plant came from an ARS Chapter seed exchange. The same seed lot was also distributed by the ARS Seed Exchange.

1997 ARS Seed Exchange - #44

The parents of this cross were R. brachycarpum v. tigerstedtii x (Lem's Cameo x Tropiocana). It was donated by Elsie Watson of Kirkland, Washington. One of five siblings surviving it first bloomed June 21, 2004. It seems to have captured qualities of the two pollen parents and infused them with a big shot of BVT hardiness. Buds overwintered -25 C / -13 F with full trusses. Its a fresh color combination for my zone 6a garden. Has been quite floriferous each year. I wonder what the four laggards will do?

Bruce Clyburn

New Waterford, N.S.

Canada

Zone 6a

1982 ARS Seed Exchange - #756 and #985

I have three results from the ARS seed exchange in 1982 that I would be pleased to share. Here are photos of two of the three that I produced and which ultimately survived.

The first is Janet Blair x Odee Wright- hybridizer, Mrs. Pat Walton: ARS 1982/756. The second is Vernus x Melrose Pink - hybridizer, Dr. Henry R. Schroeder Jr: ARS 1982/985

Nick Yarmoshuk
St. Catharines ON
Niagara Region RSC

ARS Seed Exchange 1992 - # 1323

Donated by Dr. Frank Mossman. He states "A proven cross raised for years which produces trusses that rival the Exburys". Above is a photo showing 1 of 5 plants from that cross. Note: SM 189 = Stagecoach Frills. R. calendulaceum, a larger-flowering species clone 'Colossus' (native to the Appalachean Mountains) was found & preserved by David Leach. 'Colossus' was the pollinator for Frank Mossman's R. occidentale clone 'Stagecoach Frills,' which had enhanced frilliness that passed easily to its progeny.

The azalea does possess some of the fragrance of R. occidentale, but is subdued. This selection has proven bud hardy to -28 C / -18 F. It blooms very late June.

Bruce Clyburn

New Waterford, N.S.

Canada

Zone 6a