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Rhododendron of the Year Plant Awards: 2017


North East USA Region

R. smirnowii

Elepidote Rhododendron: R. smirnowii

Flower pink to rose-purple, spotted yellow to brown, funnel-campanulate shaped.  Truss holds 6-15 flowers.  Blooms late midseason.  Leaves oblanceolate to elliptic, up to 7" long, margins re-curved, pale fawn to pale brown indumentum.  Compact growing shrub, more upright in shade.  Grows to a typical height of 4 ft. in 10 yrs.  Cold hardy to -15°F (-26°C).  Native to northeastern Turkey and adjacent Georgia. In the Caucasus Mountains it is found growing at 1500 - 2300 m, often at the edge of spruce forests or just above the tree line.

 
R. 'Pioneer Silvery Pink'

Lepidote Rhododendron: 'Pioneer Silvery Pink'

Flower purplish-pink in bud, opening pale purplish-pink, lightly spotted purplish red, outside slightly darker along midribs, openly funnel-shaped, wavy edges, 2" across.  Flowers in multi-bud, ball-shaped trusses of 17.  Blooms early midseason.  Leaves elliptic, flat, acute apex, cuneate base, about 2½" long, semi-glossy, moderate olive green, fall foliage often red-colored, retained 2 years.  Upright plant habit.  Heat tolerant.  Typical height: 6 ft. in 10 yrs.  Plant is hardy to -20°F (-29°C).  Raised to first flower by Hoogendorn Nurseries.

 
R. 'Girard's Fuchsia'

Evergreen Azalea: 'Girard's Fuchsia'

Flower moderate to deep purplish-red with moderate purplish-red spots, reverse deep purplish-pink, broadly funnel-shaped, wavy lobes, 2½" to 3" across.  Inflorescence 3 flowered.  Blooms midseason.  Leaves narrowly obovate to elliptic, apiculate apex, narrowly cuneate base, 1¾" long, glossy, moderate yellowish olive green.  Broad plant habit.  Grows to a typical height of 4 ft. in 10 yrs.  Cold hardy to -15°F (-26°C).  Hybridized by Girard.

 
R. prinophyllum

Deciduous Azalea: R. prinophyllum

Flower deep to rose-pink, rarely white, about 1" across, tubular funnel-shaped, spicy-scented fragrance.  Stamens exserted, the filaments arched upward.  Inflorescence 4-12 flowered.  Blooms midseason.  Leaves obovate to elliptic, up to 3½" long, lower surface usually pubescent, deciduous.  Leaves tend to cluster near the branch tips.  Grows to about 5 ft. tall in 10 years.  Hardy to -25°F (-32°C).  Found in the wild in eastern north America (Quebec, New England to Virginia and west to Oklahoma).

Photos (top to bottom) by Kenneth Cox, Steve Henning, Joe Coleman, Courtesy of Deutsche Genbank Rhododendron.

Prior Years Selections for North East USA Region

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

 

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

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2009

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2007

2006

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2004


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