Rhody actually had nothing to do with the rhododendrons. They have been her for decades. The youngest were added in the late 1990s. We know none of their identities. It does not matter. Bloom is spectacular. These pictures are from last Friday, so are a week old already. Six more will be two weeks old for next week. I just can not miss sharing them here for Six on Saturday.

1. Mrs. G. W. Leak – The spots are not pronounced enough. The foliage is not a good match either. Otherwise, the floral color and form are about right. Branch structure seems to match too.P00516-1

2. Trude Webster – This is just a guess. The leaves are not big enough. Bloom is a bit too brightly colored, and its spots are a bit too pronounced, although floral form seems to be about right.P00516-2

3. Lem’s Monarch – This one is questionable. Flowers are usually more white with reddish pink edge. However, they do not look quite like the real thing. Foliage happens to be a good match.P00516-3

4. Anah Kruschke – Like the others, the color is off for this one this year. It is normally a bit richer purple. I am fairly certain about its identity. The foliage and branch structure conform too.P00516-4

5. Rhododendron catawbiense – I am rather certain about the identity of this one. Everything about it is as it should be, even the foliage. This is probably my favorite of these particular six.P00516-5

6. Taurus – Of all of these six, this one is the least likely to be what I refer to it as. Only the floral color is correct. Floral form, foliage and branch structure are not. I do like the name though.P00516-6

This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate:

https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/

29 thoughts on “Six on Saturday: Rhody’s Rhodies I”

    1. I used to recognize many of the more popular cultivars. I have not grown them at the farm in many years. Those that I work with now are in landscape situations. Some happened to come from the farm a long time ago. It is nice to work with them in bloom. At the farm, most of them leave before they bloom, so that they can bloom for those who purchase them. They always look so much prettier in other people’s gardens.

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  4. There was a very old rhododendron (with lovely large flowers) growing at the step to my front door when I moved in. A very old gnarled one. In fact, when not in bloom a very ugly old gnarled one. Are they supposed to be sticky if you clip off the flowers? It was quite sticky, so I took it out and now have a white handrail (more for look and the illusion of privacy than necessity) and daylilies.

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  8. They’re lovely. I especially like the pink one with the darker spotted throat. I don’t have any in this garden – yet. My sister has beautiful rhododendrons – she’s about 100 miles north of me. Sadly they were all nipped by frost last week. Frost this late in May is not unknown but it is unusual.

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