Rhododendron of the Year Plant Awards: 2017 North East USA Region |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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). |
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Photos (top to bottom) by Kenneth Cox, Steve Henning, Joe Coleman, Courtesy of Deutsche Genbank Rhododendron. |
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Prior Years Selections for North East USA Region
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