The name Rhododendron comes from the greek words "rodon" which means "rose" and "dendron" which means "tree", hence Rose Tree. Rhododendron flowers are usually produced in trusses. The family Ericacea, into which the genus Rhododendron falls, also includes heathers, mountain laurels, blueberries and cranberries as well as manzanita, trailing arbutus, madrone, huckleberry, kalmiopsis, sourwood, blueberries and a number of other genus. Rhododendrons are referred to as the King of Shrubs since they are regarded by many as the best flowering evergreen plants for the temperate landscape.Some Popular Rhododendron Varieties
There are around 1000 species/varieties of Rhododendrons. Here is a list of some popular ones-
- Rhododendron arborescens
- Rhododendron argyrophyllum
- Rhododendron augustinii
- Rhododendron auriculatum
- Rhododendron calendulaceum
- Rhododendron calophytum
- Rhododendron camtschticum
- Rhododendron campylogynum
- Rhododendron canadense
- Rhododendron catawbiense
- Rhododendron caucasicum
- Rhododendron chamaecistus
- Rhododendron cicliatum
- Rhododendron cinnabarium
Rhododendron beanianum was originally planted in the 23-acres of Minterne House, which has been home of Churchill's ancestors and now the Digby family for the last 350 years, in 1910. It was well-loved until the late 1950s when it seems to have been forgotten about. The last record of the shrub was in 1963. Now the discovery is causing a stir in the horticultural world once again as it is hoped Mr Abraham can cultivate and propagate the plant to sell to Rhododendron collectors.
