WISH LIST FOR RHODODENDRON SEEDS

 

By Ole Jonny Larsen, Europeen member of the Seed Exchange Committee of the ARS

 

 

On behalf of the Seed Exchange Committee of the ARS I have asked members and others who grow Rhododendrons from seeds to tell which species they really wish to grow. I sent out emails to lots of people, and a note was printed in the winter issue of The Journal asking readers to send in their wishes. The response has been good and has resulted in a long list. My first thought is that it is amazing how many well known species have never or rarely been offered, although lots of people have them in their collections. More members should pick up pollinating to produce seeds! It is not difficult to learn, you will find instructions in lots of books on Rhododendrons. If enough people just made two or three pollinations of rare species, the Seed Exchange would be able to present much better seed lists in the future.

 

Most of the wishes received are on the list. Some have been deleted since they have been offered on this year’s list, or have been on the seed list more than one time over the last five years. Maybe a shorter list would be more effective, but I feel that the list now shows members thoughts and dreams for their gardens in the future. It also tells us how important the seed distribution is and how it can be improved to the benefit of our own members.

 

We now hope that collectors among us go through their plant lists and ask themselves if they can support some of these species seeds in the future. Even one new name on the seed list will be greatly appreciated, maybe someone have been searching just that species for years. It may be late to do pollinating when this issue of The Journal reaches you, but some late flowering species can still be done. Then plan for next year and read more about pollinating procedures.

 

You can read about the subject in “Success with Rhododendrons and Azaleas” by H. Edward Reiley

and in “The Cultivation of Rhododendrons” by Peter Cox. Why not practice on late flowering plants this year?

 

 

These are member’s wishes for the future seed lists:

 

 

ELEPIDOTE SPECIES

(“ordinary” rhododendrons and big leaved species. Some deciduous azaleas included). 

 

Some responders ask for dwarf, compact or high alpine forms of some of these species, especially in Subsection Taliensia. Hardier forms than those in cultivation are always desired. High altitude collections of big leaved species (Subsection Grandia and Falconera) should be sought after to extend the cultivation areas for these magnificent plants.

 

 

adenopodum

alabamense

albertsenianum

alutaceum var. russotinctum

alutaceum var. iodes

aperantum

asterochnoum

bainbridgeanum

beanianum

championiae

clementinae

callimorphum

callimorphum var. myiagrum

campylocarpum

campylocarpum ssp caloxanthum

catacosmum

cerasinum

chamaethomsonii var chamaethauma

citriniflorum (incl. var horaeum)

coelicum

coeloneurum

crinigerum (hardy forms)

denudatum

diphrocalyx

elegantulum

esetulosum

eudoxum

euchroum

floccigerum

floribundum

formosanum

forrestii var papillatum

fulvum ssp fulvoides

glanduliferum

glischrum

habrotrichum

haofui

hemsleyanum

hobbiense (yellowbrown indumentum)

hongkongense

insigne

kyawii

lanatoides

lanatum var

leptothrium

longesqumatum

luciferum (or lanatum var luciferum) with red-brown indumentum)

luteum  orange

mallotum (hardy forms)

martinianum

microgynum

mimetes var. mimetes and var. simulans

miniatum

molle ssp. molle

mucronulatum var. chejuense  (Syn: var. taquetii)

nigroglandulosum

ochraceum

parmulatum                           

pentaphyllum white                           

pingianum

planetum  (not found in the wild)

pocophorum

praeteritum

preptum

pronum

pudorosum

purdomii  (without bristels)

rothchildii

sanguineum var. haemaleum

sanguineum var. himertum

sanguineum var. cloiophorum

sanguineum var. didymoides

schlippenbachii with deep pink flowers

semnoides

serotinum

selense ssp setifeum

sikangense

sperabilioides

sphaeroblastum

subanseriense

succothii

temenium var.gilvum and var. dealbatum

thayerianum

thomsonii ssp. lopsangianum

traillianum var. dictyotum

ungernii

venator

vesiculiferum

viscidifolium

viscosum 'Lemon Drop'

wasonii var. wasonii and var. wenchuanense

williamsianum incl. dwarf and white forms

 

 

 

LEPIDOTES  (most of them dwarf species)

 

Subsection Lapponica seems to be the most popular since so many responders ask for them.

Any form, variant, subspecies or group within this Subsection is desired. This also goes for Section Pogonanthum. Some of the species on the list is not yet introduced for cultivation.

Wild collected seeds seem more popular than well known clones from gardens.  

 

afghanicum

ambiguum dwarf

anthopogonoides  (section Pogonanthum)

auritum

baileyi

brachyanthum var. brachyanthum and var. hypolepidotum

bracteatum

bulu

burjaticum    (Lapponica)

caesium

camelliiflorum

capitatum cw

cephalanthum ssp. platyphyllum

cinnabarinum ssp. tamaense

charitopes ssp charitopes and ssp tsangpoense

collettianum

complexum cw

cuneatum

dauricum yellow form

dendricola

dendrocharis

edgarianum

fletcherianum

fragariiflorum

fragrans (syn: adamsii)

glaucophyllum var album

hemitrochotum

imperator

kongboense                        

laudandum var. laudandum and var. temoense

longistylum

lowndesii

ludlowii                          

micranthum

minyaense    (Lapponica)

nitidulum var. omeiense and var. nitudulum

nivale (all ssp., var., forms and groups)

orthocladum var microleucum

petrocharis

pogonophyllum  (section Pogonanthum)

pubescens

radendum     (section Pogonanthum)

redowskianum

rufescens

russatum (incl. album form)

sargentianum

scopulorum

setosum

shweliense

tapetiforme

tatsienense

telmateium   Forma diacritum

telmateium   Forma drumonium

telmateium   Forma idoneum

thymifolium

tolmachevii

trichostomum

tsaii (not the aff. form)

uniflorum

vaccinioides

valentinianum

websterianum

yungningense cw

 

 

EVERGREEN AZALEAS

Evergreen azaleas are rare on the seed lists although lots of them can be grown well in gardens, some even in cool climates.

 

amagianum

eriocarpum

hidakanum

indicum (several colour forms)

kiyosumense

nakaharae

nudipes

reticulatum

rubripilosum

sanctum

serpyllifolium

wadanum

 

 

 

 

This photo shows Rhododendron cerasinum, one of the species on the wish list. It is my own photo, and it can be found on this web page:

 

 

http://www.rhododendron.dk/spec/ojl/cerasinum-cherryBrandy-ojl.jpg

 

 

 

Greetings Mr Larsen,

 

I am Australian member of RCM and ARS and would like to see the following on future seed lists;

 

R. arboreum ssp. campbelliae

R. argyrophyllum

R. basilicum

R. beanianum

R. brachysiphon

R. campanulatum

R. cardiobasis

R. clementinae

R. coriaceum

R. exasperatum

R. forrestii

R. intricatum

R. keleticum

R. lanigerum

R. mallotum

R. metternichii var. kyomaruense

R. montroseanum

R. pudorosum

R. recurvoides

R. rigidum

R. sanguineum forms

R. souliei

R. venator

 

Regards,

 Andrew Lockett