Here is a vigorous plant which typifies all that is good about rhododendrons. Often in cooler spring weather, the lavender-purple flowers will bloom while the leaves are still mahogany—a wonderful combination. ‘Vulcan’ Rhododendrons (Rhododendron spp. As such they perform best when the soil is acidic (with a pH between 4.5 and 6.0). However, if you live where soils are alkaline, it is probably best to choose another plant or grow the rhododendron in a container. Planting can be done anytime but best either in spring or autumn. Gardeners can be confident when choosing any of the following selections—these are the best of the best! Winsome 2-3’, bright pink. it was the inspiration for the Pacific Horticulture logo, which was designed in the 1970s by artist Wynn Hayakawa, daughter of the late Margedant Hayakawa, a founding board member and former president of Pacific Horticultural Foundation. Whidbey Island, WA, Richie Steffen Rhododendron ‘Naselle’. The flowering shrub grows along the coast of California, Oregon, Washington, and into British Columbia. Any Rhododendron or Azalea prefers well-drained soil with an acidic pH. Rhododendrons and Azaleas in Bloom General Rhododendron Care Rhododendrons and azaleas are a must-have for many gardens in the Pacific Northwest. This is a good selection for a more upright habit. Along with bright blood red flowers, R. ‘Grace Seabrook’ received handsome foliage from its parents, R. ‘The Hon. These flowers are not only beautiful but beneficial for the early pollinators and hummingbirds in the Pacific Northwest. Three in the red collection that bloom in late April are Rhododendron ‘Double Winner’, ‘Taurus’, and ‘Grace Seabrook’, the latter usually the earliest of these to bloom. From Homepage May 3, 2002. ‘Markeeta’s Prize’ ‘Naselle’. Their long, curved leaves are covered in fine, fuzzy hairs called indumentum, which enhances their year-round beauty. In midwinter, few shrubs rival the petite domed, pale pink trusses found on Rhododendron ‘Christmas Cheer’ and R. ‘Rosa Mundi’. ‘Odee Wright’, ‘Double Winner’ The only minor caveat is that ‘Taurus’ must be about five years old before it begins to flower, but it is definitely worth the wait. Tiny-leaved alpine and dwarf species are best in bright sun. J. M. Elite’, Zones 4–8) does an amazing year-round job in the garden. Seattle, WA, Rick Peterson Ubiquitous in Northwest gardens, the traditionally grown Rhododendrons are evergreen shrubs best known for their spring bloom, but I’d like to take a moment to extol the virtues of varieties selected for their attractive foliage. If you have planted your shrubs in fertile soil, fertilizing rhododendrons is not a necessity. In this issue, Rick Peterson reviews the list of rhododendrons receiving the nod from the Rhododendron Advisory Group. ‘Trail Blazer’ My talk to you tonight will in several instances be of a rather divergent nature. Anna Rose Whitney – 6’, -5F. ‘Skookum’ Jane gives tips for getting the best from these showy plants "When it comes to rhododendrons, its position, position, position. Rhododendron ‘Queen Alice’. Rhododendron ‘Horizon Monarch’. What can we say about 2020 that hasn’t already been said? To learn more about Great Plant Picks, please visit our website at www.greatplantpicks.org. The Pacific Northwest naturally has soil with low pH because of copious rain, but much of the area has heavy clay soil, so mixing compost to the bed before planting is advised. In the eastern United States., rhododendrons do well along the coast from Maine to northern Virginia and grow inland as far west as the southern Great Lakes and south along the mountains to northern Georgia. Labrador Teas, Your local nursery should carry these tough, beautiful rhododendrons, or you can order them online. rhododendron breeder Shallow plant covering the rootball with no more than 2-3 cm (about 1 inch) of mulch mixed into the soil. In the Pacific Northwest the rhododendron is ubiquitous in both public and private gardens. After enduring months of short days and slate gray skies throughout the Northwest, the yearning for color in the garden becomes intense. ‘Hachmann’s Charmant’ It looks great en masse under a specimen tree, interplanted in rock gardens, or as a small-scale evergreen hedge. Organic fertilizers are a bit more costly, but are released slowly and need to be applied less frequently than chemical fertilizers. Whether big or small, all rhododendrons require acidic, well-drained, and humus-rich soil; even, year-round moisture due to their fine fibrous root system; and part-shade/morning-sun exposure for best health and growth. Wild Pacific Rhododendron, also called coast rhododendron, is a beautiful native shrub of the Pacific Northwest that starts to bloom in late April and early May on low elevations to late May and late June on higher elevations in the mountains. Rainier Rhododendrons, Washington. ‘Dreamland’ – Discounted rates on travel programs ‘Christmas Cheer’ It can take more sun if evenly watered throughout our dry summer season. Rhodies and Azaleas have shallow root systems and prefer a thin layer of mulch, under 1". ‘P. They grow best in cli mates that avoid extremes in temperature and have substantial rainfall. If the pH needs to be raised, there are several products, such as lime, that can accomplish the task. ‘Janet Blair’ Many materials can be used to amend the soil. They also require a slightly acid soil. Exceptional midseason and later flowering red selections include Rhododendron ‘Fred Peste’, ‘Markeeta’s Prize’, ‘Skookum’, and the sibling hybrids ‘Vulcan’ and ‘Vulcan’s Flame’. Pacific Northwest Rhododendron 'Improvers': ... One of the best is named 'Elizabeth' for Queen Mother Elizabeth and introduced to English gardens just before World War II in 1939. Other midseason selections are R. ‘Horizon Monarch’ with scarlet buds opening to large, pale, green yellow flowers, ‘Odee Wright’ with deep clear yellow blossoms, and ‘Nancy Evans’; the last has the most complex coloring with orange red buds opening to amber yellow flowers, becoming a rich golden yellow while retaining some of the amber hues on the outer edge. 2. O~ing to the warmth of the Japanese … R. ‘Elsie Watson’ and ‘Hachmann’s Charmant’ have somewhat similar coloring, with a picotee edge of red purple and a white center; the former has a small maroon star in the center, whereas the latter has a large maroon blotch. ‘Noble Mountain’ With thousands of rhododendron hybrids to choose from, the task of making a selection can be overwhelming. Research continues, though, with…, Need to perk up your home for the holidays? Well, true, there are a few rhododendrons native to the Pacific Northwest. From southern British Columbia to Eugene, Oregon, and west of the Cascade Mountains, rhododendrons typify this horticultural region. Photograph by Al Dodson. ‘Lemon Dream’ Sign up for a free trial and get access to ALL our regional content, plus the rest A slow grower, dwarf purple rhododendron typically reaches 1 foot tall and 2 feet wide. All selections in the Great Plant Picks have been chosen for their suitability in USDA hardiness zones 7 and 8, which covers most of the Pacific Northwest, west of the Cascades. Don’t let this shrub’s mouthful of a scientific name (Rhododendron degronianum subsp. ‘Ken Janik’ with rosy pink buds opening to pink and ‘Yaku Princess’ in pure white are some of the widely available cultivars. Noyo Brave 2-3’, bright pink, adorable foliage. We seek out unique and popular varieties of rhododendrons and azaeleas. Undoubtedly the most commonly used northwest native shrub in the landscape is the Pacific Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum).The Oregon State Capitol building is surrounded by them, homes around the world have them in their yards, there are parks and conservatories devoted to showcasing their beauty. The prolific flowers of R. ‘Fantastica’ are deep rose shading inward to a white throat. ‘Mrs Furnivall’ ‘Queen Alice’ Elisabeth Miller Botanical Garden Here are a […] Enjoy reading PacHort's informative articles and archives? Photograph courtesy of Briggs Nursery. Noyo Dream 2-3’, superbright pink with gorgeous foliage, early bloomer. Larger Tough Rhododendrons: Anah Kruschke 8-10’, purple – VERY tough Get our latest tips, how-to articles, and instructional videos sent to your inbox. Among woody ornamental shrubs, who can resist the dazzling blossoms of roses, camellias, forsythia, hydrangeas, and rhododendrons. Rhododendron ‘Mrs Furnivall’ is a stunning, mid-spring showpiece of light pink flowers, each with a prominent crimson flair. ‘Peter Alan’, ‘Elsie Watson’ ‘Azurro’ ‘Manda Sue’ The Pacific Northwest is … Whidbey Island, WA, Frank Fujioka In horticultural circles today, form and texture are much ballyhooed in landscape design; yet, flower color will always have a powerful allure—much like the mythical Siren’s song. This territory extends along the coastal region from British Columbia through Washington, Oregon and northern California. Bicolor rhododendrons have a contrasting color along the edge of each petal—either a thin, distinct margin of color called “picotee,” or a gradual shading to a darker hue. SERIES 24 Episode 29. All content is made possible by the generous gifts of our supporters. Our lead image features three wonderful examples of compact varieties of this extremely useful evergreen shrub. This won't delete the recipes and articles you've saved, just the list. ‘Very Berry’, ‘Capistrano’ This doesn’t mean you can’t keep planting and growing crops or other plants. The same parentage also produced R. ‘Taurus’ with its distinctive deep red buds in winter and glowing red flowers with black speckles. There is also R. ‘Blue Boy’ which, as the name suggests, has more blue in the flowers, bestowing a vibrant violet color with an almost black blotch. Over 100 Varieties of Rhododendrons and Azaleas Rainier Rhododendrons offers over 100 varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas including species, hybrid and dwarf rhododendrons. Jason Jorgensen is a landscape designer in Seattle, Washington. Don’t plant too deep as this may damage or kill the plant. After the blooms fade, it will hold its own in the garden as a tidy, slow-growing evergreen shrub. Most rhododendrons will perform well in Sunset zones 4 to 6 and 15 to 17, although plants may not perform equally well in all of these zones. This two-tone coloration adds excitement and splash to the garden. This large growing, vigorous rhododendron tolerates exposure to full sun. You must be a magazine subscriber to access this feature. Merkeerk Gardens They belong to a group of ten exceptional pink hybrid rhododendrons chosen by the Rhododendron Advisory Group. Beautiful Azaleas and Rhododendrons for the Pacific Northwest Region Deciduous Azaleas, Evergreen Azaleas, Lepidote Rhododendrons, Elepidote Rhododendrons Azaleas and Rhododendrons, with their magnificent flowers, are one of the best-loved sights of spring. Its funnel shaped flowers with ruffled edges are pale mauve to lavender-blue with a distinctive dark blotch. Vancouver area, of British Columbia, though most of this should apply to the Pacific Northwest which has similar climate. Bicolor Hybrid Rhododendron Collection ‘Elsie Watson’ ‘Fantastica’ ‘Hachmann’s Charmant’ ‘Manda Sue’ ‘Naselle’ All selections in the Great Plant Picks have been chosen for their suitability in USDA hardiness zones 7 and 8, which covers most of the Pacific Northwest, west of the Cascades. of the member-only content library. Tropical Late-Season Interest for the Northwest, 7 Easy Fruit Trees to Grow Right in Your Own Backyard, Traveling Plants | Letter from the Editor, A Fool and His Garden | Letter from the Editor, Dahlias Don’t Ask Much | Letter from the Editor, It’s Just Business | Letter from the Editor. Prepare for frost by buying frost blankets to protect vulnerable crops as well as perennials, shrubs, and trees. The best time to prune these plants is soon after flowering, so not to interfere with flower bud formation for the following year. Jul 14, 2018 - Rhododendron flowers are available in many shades of yellow that brighten up your garden landscape. Scarlet Wonder 3’ red, lovely habit. ", Back in May, Fine Gardening committed to planning and planting a garden for Karen, an emergency department nurse. To join our mailing list, please call 206/362-8612. How can anyone resist? Starting in early to mid-spring, this medium-size shrub puts on a spectacular show of small lavender-purple trusses. Your support is critical to our continuing and future programs. Daintiest of the group is R. ‘Manda Sue’, with shell pink petals that are scalloped and edged with red. After the blooms finish, the shrub and its dark green leaves are a great backdrop to perennials, bulbs, and annuals. The climate of the U.S. Pacific Northwest region, especially between the Cascade Mountain range and the Pacific Ocean, is very accommodating to the growth of many types of rhododendron hybrids and species. ‘Fred Peste’ – Discounted admission to select partner events. Mr. President, Members of the American Rhododendron Society. See more ideas about Rhododendron, Flowers, Shades of yellow. Get complete site access to decades of expert advice, regional content, and more, plus the print magazine. While there are certainly appropriate settings for those large specimens, here are a few of my favorite smaller-scale rhododendrons ideal for the Pacific Northwest. In 1954 this fine low growing rhododendron was introduced into British Columbia coastal gardens by Len Living, a nurseryman/landscape contractor of Richmond, B.C. Purple is such a popular color that Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens on Whidbey Island, Washington has a special “Purple Passion Rhododendron Sale” in May (see What’s Happening, page 9). Late-season interest continues when the temperatures drop: its dark green leaves turn a wonderfully rich dark mahogany. As the bloom season winds down in early June, it signals a perfect time to groom and prune your rhododendrons to keep them from outgrowing their space. Likewise, plants grown with mulch that depletes nitrogen in the soil, such as fresh wood chips, will probably do better with a regular rhododendron fertilizer schedule. Yellow-flowered rhododendrons add warmth to the suffused greens of the woodland garden. In that narrow belt along the Pacific slope running from Vancouver and Victoria, BC, to San Francisco, the winters are tempered by warm waters, the air is moist the year round, there is very little extreme summer heat and the soil is naturally acid. While some may complain of an overuse of this beautiful shrub, there is no avoiding the fact that rhododendrons continue to be popular and well loved. Click here to see a list of the Rhododendrons and Azaleas that we ordered for 2020.