Home Schedule Activities Join MidstS
|
. |
Species In Our Midst
|
 |
Rhododendron brachycarpum
Specific epithet: with short fruit. An elepidote (without scales on leaves). R. brachycarpum includes subspecies R. fauriei (for discoverer Pere Louis F Faurie) & variety tigerstedii (for introducer Dr. Carl Tigerstedt).
Slow to flower when young, the small-flowered trusses of 8-20 flowers, often bloom later in the season. Flowers are pinkish-white, sometimes deep rose to yellowish with brownish-green spots, often in lines. The plant is compact and rounded when young and open grown. In ten years expect a plant of 8-l0'. The attractive foliage is long-leaved with dark green color.
Young plants of R. fauriei and R.brachycarpum look similar, but R. brachycarpum develops a thin tawny indumentum on the leaf underside as the plant ages while R. fauriei's leaves remain glabrous (without hairs). Variety tigerstedii has longer leaves and often exhibits more vigor.
Native to central and southern Korea (660-5300') and Daglet Island (var. tigerstedii), Kuril Islands, mountainous northern and central parts of Japan, often above the tree line (5500-7500'). Known as the Fujiyama rhododendron in Japan, R. brachycarpum withstands wind and dry mineral soil better than most rhododendrons.
The species is notable for drooping, curled leaves at the slightest hint of colder temperatures. This survival technique is passed to progeny. Variety tigerstedii is reported to have withstood -49F at the Mustila Arboretum, Finland.
Selected hybrids with R brachycarpum heritage:
| 'Kentucky Cardinal' (Gable) | 'Ethel V Cary' (Cary) |
| 'Cary's Yellow' (Cary) | 'P.M.A. Tigerstedt' (Tigerstedt) |
| 'Rowland P Cary' (Cary) | 'Strawberries and Cream' (Cary) |
| 'Arctic Dawn' (Behring) | 'Queen Anne's'(Skinner) |
| 'Arctic Snow' (Behring) | 'Josephine V. Cary' (Cary) |
| 'Elviira' (Tigersted) | 'Saint Mary's (Skinner) |
| 'Cary's Cream' (Cary) | 'William P Cary' (Cary) |
The late Edward A. Cary of Shrewsbury was a Massachusetts Chapter member.