Rhododendron JG008 |
Origin: China
Zone Range: 5-9
Preferred Situation: Full to semi sun; well draining humus rich evenly moist acidic soil.
Description:
Possibly Rhododendron sanguineum. Dark red glossy blooms are so unusual they appear artificial until you touch them and even then they have so much substance they could be moulded out of wax. Small lovely ovate leaves. Grows to 1 meter tall with a 2 meter spread.
Notes:
All members of the Genus Rhododendron are shallow rooted and must have moisture retentive acidic humus rich soil. Never lime or overfeed. Prune immediately after blooms are spent as next year's flowering buds are formed over the summer on new growth. Another aquisition by the late Ted and Mary Grieg, renowned plants people. Worthy enough to establish in their personal garden.
Cultivation:
Traditionally propagated by surface sowing under glass and keeping moist, there are always less bulky, alternate ways of starting Rhododendrons from seed. Generally seed doesn't need any pretreatment. Full a 15 cm deep nursery pot with a sterile medium of equal parts of finely milled peat moss, sand, and loam. Sow thinly! Mix seed with a small amount of sand, evenly disperse seed over the surface of the medium (not too much sand as seed need light to germinate) and tamp firm. Direct sunlight will fry seedlings, an artifical light source is best. Keep moist using fine mist as heavy droplets will dislodge delicate seedling roots; use a plastic cover for greater success. Germinate at 20 C and you should see sprouts emerging within 3 months. When at their 3-4 true leaf stage prick out and transplant seedling. Seedlings cannot tolerate winter temps in their first year so its best to place them in a unheated greenhouse or cold frame. Protect seedlings from nibbling varmits. Seed germinates within 3 months.
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