2863 UNIQUE MARMALADE
1440 WHITNEY’S ORANGE
Mid season. 1.2m (‘Orange Marmalade’ x ‘Unique’) Bright red buds open to rosy pink flowers with an orange throat. Wavy edged with delicate spotting. Lower growing, compact plant. $40.00
Late mid season. 1m (Probably a dichroanthum hybrid) This rhododendron tends to be low in growth habit with decumbent branches. The flowers have an apricot-orange centre with a deeper reddish-orange perimeter. $35.00
2745 yakushimanum x FRED WYNNIATT Mid season. 1.2m Soft pink in bud opening into soft peachy apricot toned flowers. $37.00
RHODODENDRON SPECIES Few realise that the genus rhododendron includes nearly 1000 species (as found in the wild) and many thousands of hybrids (crosses between either two species or subsequent crossings). Cross Hills rhododendrons are grown in open field conditions at an altitude of 1800ft (600metres). Growing in an ideal loam soil our plants develop an excellent root system. Cross Hills plants are well known for their good shifting qualities having been hardened by snow and frosts. (See the photos of our magnificent winters on our website!) These ideal conditions are very similar to those of the Himalayas where many rhododendron species first originated. As a generalisation, species have more interesting foliage than hybrids. Species on the whole, flower earlier in the spring. Mention is frequently made of indumentum and tomentum when describing the foliage. Indumentum is a covering of small hairs on the leaves, usually on the underside. This forms a fur, skin or felt-like layer which can be deep brown, silvery, fawn or white. Tomentum refers to a similar coating on the upper surface of the leaves. 1332 arboreum ‘MT VICTORIA’ Very early. 1.2m Small compact truss of the brightest blood red. Attractive silver backed foliage. One of the earliest flowering rhododendrons. $37.00
1108 arboreum ‘KERMESINUM’
1854 augustinii ‘GILLIUM’
Very early. 1.8m This large, tree-like species, has dark shiny green foliage and attractive compact, dark blood red flowers. Flowers over a long period. $37.00
Mid season. 1.5m A tall upright growing plant that has small pointed foliage and small “butterfly” type lavender blue flowers. $37.00
1692 augustinii ‘BARTO BLUE’
1332 arboreum ‘MT VICTORIA’ Description next column...
Mid season. 1.2m This form of augustinii has a more compact growth habit than some of the others. The flowers are possibly a deeper blue too and are found in clusters at the end of the branches. Small leaves, foliage turns bronze in the winter. $37.00
24 | RHODODENDRON HYBRIDS / RHODODENDRON SPECIES
1330 augustinii ‘GLEN FALLOCK’ Description next column...
