a rhododendron named "graziella"

order: ericales
family: ericaceae
genus: rhododendron
species: ponticum
cultivar: 'Graziella'

First Story

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5 june 2016

60 cm tall bush in 2016.

Whenever it comes to writing a post I have the habit of browsing my recent photo album to see if there is any plant that I haven't written about. There are always some flowering rhododendrons or azaleas among them. I actually want to have more genus diversity in my writing but can't help to put rhododendrons before other plants, if they are flowering so colourfully for me.

I bought this rhododendron as a discounted item at season end in 2012. I was fascinated mainly by its unusual lance-shaped leaves for rhododendrons. My friend and I didn't agree on the appeal of the flower colour displayed on the label but couldn't judge it for sure since there're no flowers on them at the moment. I insisted to go ahead with it nevertheless. It was probably 30 to 40 cm tall at that time.

Once home, I planted it against a tall ivy-covered fence. When it finally flowered the following year in late May, both my friend and I were compelled by the abundant trusses of simple rosy pink flowers without any visible marking, against the dark ivy canvas. The show lasted for less than 2 weeks, after which the funnel-shaped corollas began to fall off and left a sticky mess of nectar on the plant. Over the years, I learned to clean it up the easy way. If it doesn't rain during flowering, you can give it a gentle shower with the help of a garden hose. After shower, I would spend an hour dead-heading the entire plant.

Despite the mixed manure that I applied quite regularly, leaves seem to have reduced in size over the years. In part, the rain shadow of that spot coupled with the dry years we had must have restricted the growth somewhat. Worse is that, it has to compete for both water and nutrients with our neighbour's century-old birch with its far reaching roots. I actually dug out a huge clump of massive roots with lots of thirsty fibrous roots belonging to the tree once when planting some azaleas around it. That being said, I actually find the dwarfed leaves quite adorable so I'll just leave it be until we find a bigger garden to move to.

2016 flowers close-up.

dwarf purple rhododendron

order: ericales
family: ericaceae
genus: rhododendron
species: impeditum

First Story

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7 january 2016

Fowering for the 3rd time in 2015. And that in October, way before winter.

Unbelievable! This dwarf rhodendron flowered 3 times in 2015. Either I've done something terribly wrong or absolutely brilliant... or the irregular temperature pattern has triggered it to flower first in very early spring, then a second time right before summer and again in autumn. After each flush of flowers, new shoots followed. At first I thought these flower buds were for next spring, but hey, there they opened already in October, way before winter. Am I complaining? Absolutely not. It's just that, previously it only flowered once a year. I just want to know what triggered it to grow so aggressively. Was it my new biweekly half-strength feeding regime? Very probable. I disregarded the twice-a-year-only feeding instruction given by professionals and went ahead to treat it just like any other plant I have. I'm actually very pleased with the sight of the purplish flowers against the leathery foliage. So if I can keep it flowering as often as this, I will keep my feeding routine. At any rate, I think the plant still has enough rest over the long winter months to regenerate energy for more growth and more flower in the next growing season.

Update

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25 february 2016

In flower April 2015.

I found some photos that I've taken in the spring last year. The plant was visibly more sparse than it is now due to the damage by frost the year before. I clearly took it as a winter-hardy plant. My experience tells me that this rhododendron is a lot more sensitive to freezing temperature than other rhododendron species I have. So I recommend to move it into a cold frame.

Flower close-up April 2015.

anouk azalea

order: ericales
family: ericaceae
genus: rhododendron
species: obtusum
cultivar 'Anouk'

First Story

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5 may 2004

'Anouk' is my most recently acquired rhododendron, or better said azalea. I learned that "Anouk" is a diminutive form of "Anna" in Dutch. So I started calling her "little Anna". After its main flowering season in April and May, the garden centre put it on sale. This particular plant still had quite a number of flowers and unopened buds on it. I was lucky to pay only half the normal price while being able to enjoy the flowers for 2 weeks.

This is the tightest azalea I have ever collected. Given time, space and all that it needs, the bush should grow into its ultimate size of about 50 cm in height and 1 m in width. The leaves are small and dense which render the plant top-heavy. I can feel the crown oscillating on its slender stem when I move it around. I am surprised as new growth turned out to be so compact despite being placed on the shady north side of our house. While its flowers are not quite as big as those of my other azaleas, they are significantly larger than the leaves.

Update

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25 february 2016

In flower late April 2015.

Last year, I was busy with a lot of things. I managed to shoot quite a number of portraits for my plants but haven't got the time to put them up here, including the one above. As you can see in it, this little plant was completely shaded out by its own flowers. It looks like it will need a bigger pot really soon. 2015 was a really dry year. It was really hard for me to keep up with the watering. Since I'm not going to be home for most of my time starting this year, I'll definitely have to pot it up several sizes at once. I'm already looking forward to the flowering season 2016.

Right before the buds unfolded, they looked like some pink chilis.

japanese azalea

order: ericales
family: ericaceae
genus: rhododendron
species: indicum?
cultivar: 'Asahi no Izumi'?

First Story

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9 march 2012

Azalea in full bloom after winter dormancy.

This is a japanese azalea. I don't know exactly which variety it is. The label only says this "azalea japonica" is a dwarf form. The closest match I found is rhododendron indicum 'kazan', which is a satsuki azalea. If its leaves were smaller, I could have identified it as rhododendron obtusum, a kurume azalea, with possible cultivar being 'hinodegiri'. The colour of the blooms is somewhere between peach and salmon.

Azaleas are prone to be attacked by gall insects and fungi. I personally find it interesting to observe the different abnormal growths. However it's recommended to remove them as soon as possible.

Probably because of the scorching heat during the first week of March, some of the petals and stamens became detached from the rest of the flowers and fell off cleanly. Pistils remain on the receptacle. I'm not sure if this azalea is a self-pollinating type. I brushed some of the fallen stamens against the stigmas. If the ovaries develop into seed pods later, then I'll know the answer.

One of the first flower buds to open.

Gall of a leaf looking like a wedge of unripe hairy strawberry.

Fallen petal

Update

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2013

After the flowering season in the spring, I separated the 4 plants. Two of them were planted in their respective pots (I named them azalea #1 and #2). The other two were planted into the ground next to other rhododendrons I have in the garden. The growth was strong and leggy, which makes the plants look somewhat awkward after the season.

In the winter the plants have dropped their older leaves but retained those of current year. Flower buds are set to open for the coming spring. As I was told that satsuki azalea (this is what the japanese call the Rhododendron indicum species) is only frost-hardy to certain degree and therfore it's recommended to keep them just above freezing point, I've been moving my potted plants in and out from the stairwell according to the fluctuation of the temperature outside.

While continuing to identify my azalea, I have come across several more suggestions like 'Duc de Rohan' and 'Asahi no Izumi', though the latter is more likely. So from now on, I'd like to think this is what I have.

azalea #1 after repotting.

azalea #1 in late autumn 2012.

azalea #2 in late autumn 2012.

azalea #1 flowering, spring 2013.

azalea #2 flowering spring 2013.

Update

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16 september 2015

azales #2 in flower was a onlooker in spring 2015.

Again, the flower this year was amazing! I learned from previous years that leaving them in the rain while in flower is not a good idea, as the corollas that got wet would fall off early. This year I had them sheltered and I had my neighbour and visitors enraptured by their beauty over a month.

flower close-up 2015.

a cutting from 2013 is also in flower.

Changing soil is so essential for the health of rhododendrons and azaleas, need I say that? This year, I finally repotted my azaleas #1, #2 and several other azaleas. The effect is the really handsome, deep green and shiny foliage. Even old one turned darker. Our tap water has pH 8 and with it I fill our pond in the garden. This is where I draw the water for watering all my plants in the summer. After standing in the pond, the pH of the water usually lowers down to somewhere around 7. It is still a high pH for acid loving plants. With time, the pH becomes on the high side for them. The different salts that build up in the soil and the necessary trace nutrients that get washed out during each watering result in an unhealthy soil. The best remedy is not to use any chemical but to change the soil completely. Although top-dressing or potting-up with fresh soil also works fine. I absolutely recommend anybody keeping any type of rhododendrons to do this. If a complete soil change or potting-up is not possible, you should always top-dress with ericaceous soil and replace this layer frequently.

azalea #1 trimmed back hard and repotted this year. shiny, compact foliage.

azalea #2 with revived shiny, healthy looking foliage after potting-up.

unknown azalea

order: ericales
family: ericaceae
genus: rhododendron
species: ??

First Story

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7 may 2015

flower closeup 2015.

In 2013, we drove all the way from Germany down to the Tuscany and spent a week there. Before arriving at our final destination, we made a stop and stayed overnight at a Swiss city along Lago Maggiore, called Locarno. In this region, azaleas seem to be one of the most common plants in private gardens and on the streets. It was April when we were there and it was just the perfect time for azalea fans to visit. Everywhere you could see round bushes covered with colourful flowers.

In front of our hotel, there is a hedge made up of two different types of azalea. Their leaves are so minute, I swear they are less than 5mm across. One has scarlet flowers, the other has a colour between fuchsia and magenta. They're truely admirable.

After the dinner and plenty of vino at the italian restaurant (obviously) in the city centre, it started to pour for as long as we walked back to our hotel. When we reached our hotel, I thought I could take some cuttings and try to propagate. Since the plant was well soaked in water, I thought I might have a chance to make it happen despite the week ahead in italy. I made sure to remove all flowers to reduce water evaporation. I tried to get one cutting for each type of azalea but because it was completely dark, I couldn't be sure what I got.

Once back in the room, the first thing I did was cut open an empty plastic bottle in the mid-section to make a mini-conservatory for the cuttings. They're probably just slightly more than 5cm long, which made it easy to put into the bottle. Since I didn't have any soil, I used a piece of tissue paper as the growing medium. Besides I had for some time wanted to do experiment with it. My hypothesis for the experiment was that tissue paper has a very strong absorption power, so if I wrap it around the cut end of the twigs, it will be like an extensive rootball for the new plants, until they grow new roots. I dipped the whole "rootball" into a small pond of water in the bottle so it became completely saturated.

The next day I managed to gather some moss to put around the leaves, which further reduce evaporation. For the whole week we were in Italy, I left the bottle with the cap removed on a shaded corner of our balcony. The twigs looked as fresh as the moment I cut them down throughout the entire journey and til I got home. I was really happy that I could do some gardening away from home and have something as a souvenir, that is if the twigs root successfully.

When the limbs arrived home safely, I immediately prepared a pot with ericaceous soil. I carefully transferred the entire "rootball" into the potted soil, meaning, I didn't remove the tissue paper. By the end of May I started to notice new leaves sprouting. I was so touched by the sight. I knew exactly it meant roots were growing underneath. It's the most perfectly maneuvered propagation by cutting. That year was spent mainly to grow new roots and photosynthesize.

In the following year, the plants grew tremendously and amassed a lot of energy. Strong shoots and compact roots were indication of good health. By the end of winter flower buds became evident. And when spring broke I finally got to see what I've got. Apparently both cuttings are from the magenta/fuchsia type. The flowers grow in compact umbels, with each flower only 1cm across. On closer inspection, I realised the flowers are double, like, literally double sets of corollas with one tucked inside the other and rotated at an angle so that each petal is visible. I learned that this kind of arrangement is called "hose-in hose", technically not a double flower. The colour itself is simple and beautiful, what more can I say?

After the flower I definitely have to pot up several sizes as the plants have become seriously root-bound. I have the feeling that this azalea is going to be a lot more vigorous than my other ones despite its smaller leaf size. And finally, I hope somebody will tell me which species or cultivar this is. Hint: common in Locarno.

spring 2015.

indian azalea

order: ericales
family: ericaceae
genus: rhododendron
species: simsii
cultivar: unknown hybrid

First Story

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23 august 2012

Flowering March 2013.

This is an evergreen, frost tender azalea that can be perfectly kept indoor in a bright room in winter and moved outdoor in the summer. Huge bright crimson semi-double rosettes, 10cm across, petals with slightly undulated margins, are borne in clusters at terminals. Its foliage turns from lemon green to dark green and is somewhat downy.

I obtained this plant last year in October while it was in bloom. This I managed to keep for as long as three months. This year it bloomed earlier, in July. The flowers are bigger and brighter. If you want to enjoy its beautiful flowers longer, keep it real cool, protected from heavy rain and scotching sunlight. Slender branches tend to hang down after rain, because flowers are so huge that they retain a lot of water. Strong sunlight will make petal margins burn and flowers become unsightly.

This year I didn't keep the bloom for very long. This plant had been used in a group planting with four plants in a pot. At the time it was separated, it was completely out of shape. For now it is more important for me to improve its overall shape. I deadheaded the plant after a month of bloom so that it can spend the rest of the year on ramification. The goal is to have more flowers. Currently there are already new shoots coming out from the lower section. Rhododendron species do not usually require pruning to achieve a rounded shape.

Blooming in garden July 2012.

Watery flowers after rain.

The way it was, in a smaller pot, in 2011.

Update

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1 april 2015

out of shape albeit in bloom, november 2014.

My lovely azalea had grown so much that it was constantly blown over by wind. After it landed on my fuchsia during a storm and caused much damage to both plants, I decided it's time to repot. This time I opted a wide shallow pot. With this I think the chance for it to tip is highly unlikely. The missing branches caused the crown to appear out of shape. A couple of seasons of growth should remedy this.

gold-leafed tree heath

order: ericales
family: ericaceae
genus: erica
species: arborea
cultivar: 'Albert's Gold'

late autumn 2012. leaves turned dark green.

As the name implies, this tree heath's leaves are usually more yellowish than green. But that's only if new growth is exposed to sufficiently bright light. Otherwise they turn mid to dark green just as they do when it gets darker into fall and winter. My plant is currently about knee height. It has lots of stems coming from the base, which makes it look like a group of cypress trees crowding together. Although I must say, the sight of its foliage at a distance reminds me of casuarinas on hot sunny beaches.

flowering in may 2013. close-up.

As the spring was breaking, I could see small tiny white tips emerging mainly on the branches of the upper section, which soon turned into foliage and terminal flower buds. Flowers become fully open in May. They are tiny, white, drooping and have a red dot in the middle. With the help of an enlarged macro photo, I counted four petals on each flower.

I repotted the plant earlier in April in a nice dark grey plastic pot. But I realised, the plant needs a new heavier pot so it doesn't get blown over easily by wind.

wandering heath

order: ericales

family: ericaceae

genus: erica

species: vagans

cultivar: 'Princess'

Autumn 2012.

In this post, I'd like to dedicate this wandering heath to my recently deceased Princess aka Kogo, a Tancho Sanshoku Nishikigoi. This is a much loved fish among all my other fish and she's always been very photogenic. Now I'm going to miss the beautiful black clouds against her snow white skin, the tiny red crown on her head and her handsome blue eye rings. I used to bring this plant to the pond so the fish can admire it. Now each time that I care for this plant, I'll always remember you, my dear little Princess.



Update:

Late August 2013. Profusion of flower as usual.

My princess has grown a lot more than I expected. Potting up is compulsory next spring, unless I choose to plant it in the ground.