Rhododendron roxieanum var. oreonasters
Common name:
No common name
Pronunciation:
rho-do-DEN-dron
Family:
Ericaceae
Type:
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon:
No
- Broadleaf evergreen shrub, dwarf, compact to upright form, about 3 ft (0.9 m) in 10 yrears, finally to 5 ft (1.5 m), occasionally to 10 ft (3 m) high. Leaves linear, lanceolate, 47 cm long, very narrow, only 5-8 mm wide, base wedge-shaped (cuneate), margin strongly revolute, apex acute and with a stiff sharp point, upper surface shiny, slightly wrinkled (rugulose), glabrous except for groove of midrib, lower surface with fawn to cinnamon indumentum. Flowers white flushed pink, spotted red-purple, bell-shaped, 2-2.5 cm, 10-15 per cluster.
- Hardy to USDA Zone 6. Native to China, southern Tibetand, northwestern Yunnan and southwestern Sichuan. It received Award of Merit in 1973 and Award of Garden Merit in 1993 from the Royal Hort. Soc.
- According to Bean (1976) it is not a very distinct variety, i.e., rather variable. Joseph Rock (1882-1962) described a 10 ft (3 m) high small tree (his 59205) with linear leaves, almost needle-shaped. Other forms are comparatively dwarf and have leaves with normal widths.
- – 10°F, early-early-mid, 3/5 [flower / plant & foliage; scale 1 (poor) - 5 (best)].
- roxieanum: found by George Forrest (1873-1932) and named after a missionary friend of his, Mrs. Roxie Hanna. oreonastes:compressed mountain dweller, a reference to the dwarf form. Forrest described a plant that was only 2 ft (0.6 m) high and growing at 14,000 ft (~4,300 m) elevation on the Kari La Pass, Mekong-Yangtze divide (Bean, 1976).
- Federal Way, Washington, Rhododendron Species and Botanical Garden.
Click image to enlarge
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plant habit, flowering
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flower clusters and leaves
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flower cluster
