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Rhododendron of the Year Plant Awards: 2006


South West USA Region

R. 'Pink Pearl'

Elepidote Rhododendron: 'Pink Pearl'

Flower opens pink, fading to blush, paler at edges with a ray of reddish brown spots.  Large conical truss holds about about 18 flowers.  Blooms midseason.  Leaves are about 5" long, thick, pale green.  Upright, open growth habit.  Prefers full sun for more dense growth.  Grows to a typical height of 6 ft. in 10 years.  Cold hardy to -5°F (-21°C).  Hybridized by J. Waterer.  Winner of a number of awards in England over more than a half century: Award of Merit 1897; First Class Certificate 1900; Award of Garden Merit 1952.

 
R. 'Mi Amor'

Lepidote Rhododendron: 'Mi Amor'

Flower white with yellow throat, trumpet-shaped, 6" across, fragrant.  Flat-shaped truss has 5-7 flowers.  A midseason bloomer.  Leaves textured, dark green above, gray-green below.  Open, straggly plant habit.  Grows to an approximate height of 6 ft. in 10 years.  Requires a temperate growing location; hardy to 15°F (-9°C).  Hybridized by Frances and Maurie Sumner.  Award of Merit winner in 1975.

 
R. 'Hexe'

Evergreen Azalea: 'Hexe'

Flower strong purplish red, about 1¾" across, single, hose-in-hose.  Blooms midseason.  Leaves small, glossy, dark green.  Dense, mounding growth habit.  Grows to an approximate height of 4 ft. in 10 years.  Cold hardy to 5°F (-15°C).  Hybridized by Forster.  Award of Merit bestowed in 1907.

 
R. atlanticum

Deciduous Azalea: R. atlanticum

Flower white to white flushed pink, narrowly funnel shaped, up to 1½" across, fragrant.  Blooms midseason.  Leaves ovate or obovate to elliptic, up to 2" long, mid green to blue-green,  deciduous.  Loosely-branched shrub.  Spreads by underground stolons,  can develop into a thicket.  Grows to a height of approximately 3 ft. in 10 years.  Plant cold hardy to -15°F (-26°C).  Native species found growing in eastern North America (Pennsylvania to Georgia coastal plains).

Photos (top to bottom) by Fredo Schroder Nursery, Don Wallace, Harold Greer, Sally and John Perkins.

Prior Years Selections for South West USA Region

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

 

2005

2004


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