American Rhododendron Society Plant Registry

Introduction: The following rhododendron and azalea names were approved and added to the International Rhododendron Register prior to August 18, 2009 by the Royal Horticultural Society, International Cultivar Registration Authority for the genus Rhododendron. The North American Registrar assisted the RHS by providing data for plants originating in North America.

References: Names conform to the rules and recommendations of the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants – 7th Edition (2004). Color numbers refer to the RHS Colour Chart unless noted otherwise. Accompanying color names are taken from A Contribution toward Standardization of Color Names in Horticulture, R.D. Huse and K.L. Kelly, edited by D.H. Voss (ARS, 1984).

Format: Parentage lists the seed parent first, followed by an "(s)" if the direction of the cross is known; this is followed by an upper case "X" and then the name of the pollen parent. If either parent is itself a cross, the individual components within that cross are separated by a lower case "x". Parentheses are used only in describing the more complex crosses. Abbreviations are used where appropriate: (a) = azalea, (r) = rhododendron, (v) = vireya rhododendron, (z) = azaleodendron; H = hybridized by, G = grown to first flower by, R = raised by, S = selected by, N = named by, I = introduced commercially by, REG = registered by; dates are enclosed in parentheses immediately following the activity. Metric conversions of dimensions are reported in 5mm (0.2") increments for dimensions greater than 25mm (1").

(r) 'Bovee's White Water':  Elepidote rhododendron: R. yakushimanum 'Koichiro Wada' (s) X R. wardii. H (1976), G, and I: Bob Bovee, Portland, OR; N (2009) and REG (2009): Mark and Debi Saner, North Bend, WA. Fls 8-10/ball truss, openly funnel-shaped, 3" (75mm) long x 2" (50mm) wide, with 5 frilly-edged lobes. Color light pink in bud, opening white throughout, with yellow spotting in the throat. Truss 4" (100mm) high x 5" (125mm) wide. Lvs held 3 years, 3"-4" x 1"-1.5" (75-100 x 25-40mm); oblanceolate, acute apex, oblique base, flat margins; semi-glossy and dark green above; hairless; petioles red. Shrub 4' (1.2m) high x 5' (1.5m) wide in 15 years; dense habit. Plant and bud hardy to at least -10°F (-23°C). Mid May. (Synonym: 'White Water')

(r) 'Diana Marguerite':  Elepidote rhododendron: ('Consolini's Windmill' x 'Unique Marmalade') (s) X ['Offshoot' x ('Phipps Yellow' x 'Viennese Waltz)']. H (2002, G (2004), I, and REG (2009): George Woodard, Westbury, NY; N (2009): Townsend Weekes, Oyster Bay Cove, NY. Fls 22/conical truss, broadly funnel-shaped, 4" (100mm) long x 4" (100mm) wide, with 6-7 wavy-edged lobes. Color light pink (49C) in bud, opening inside vivid yellow (17B) with subtle picotee edges of dark pinkish red at first, fading to pink; outside light yellowish pink (38D). Truss 8" (200mm) high x 6" (150mm) wide. Lvs held 2 years, 5" x 2.4" (125 x 60mm); elliptic, broadly acute apex, oblique base, down-curved margins; semi-glossy and dark green above, hairless. Shrub 4' (1.2m) high x 3' (0.9m) wide in 7 years; intermediate habit. Plant and bud hardy to at least 0°F (-18°C). Mid May.

(r) 'Gwendolyn Wright':  Elepidote rhododendron: 'Ring of Fire' (s) X 'Courtenay Queen'. H (2001), G (2006), N (2009) and REG (2009): Harry Wright, Courtenay, BC, Canada. Fls 10/dome truss, saucer-shaped, c 1.5" (40mm) long x 3.5" (90mm) wide, with 6-7 wavy-edged lobes. Color dark red to deep purplish pink in bud, opening inside with a greenish yellow center and paler greenish yellow arms extending along the middle of each lobe to the light to moderate pink borders surrounding each lobe; a network of pale pink lines is visible within most of the corolla. Truss 4" (100mm) high x 4.8" (120mm) wide. Lvs held 4 years, 4.8"-6" x 1.5"-2.4" (120-150 x 40-60mm); oblong, obtuse apex, cordate base, down-curved margins; semi-glossy and mid green above; hairless. Shrub 3.3' (1.0m) high x 2.6' (0.8m) wide in 4 years. Plant and bud hardy to at least 14°F (-10°C). Mid May.

(r) 'Joe Becales':  Elepidote rhododendron: 'Janet Blair' (s) X 'Goldsworth Orange'. H and G: Joe Becales, Glen Mills, PA; N and REG (2009): Dennis Mac Mullan, Hamburg, PA. Fls 9/dome truss, funnel-campanulate, 2.4" (60mm) long x 3" (75mm) wide, with 5 wavy-edged lobes. Color moderate pink tinged yellowish in bud, opening inside light yellow/orange at the ovary and shading through peach/pink to very pale pink at margins, with orange speckles in the throat and extending along the dorsal lobe about half way to the margin; outside medium pinkish yellow merging with light pink and cream at margins. Truss 4.5" (115mm) high x 5.5" (140mm) wide. Lvs 3.5" x 1.5" (90 x 40mm); elliptic, broadly acute apex, oblique base, flat margins; semi-glossy and mid green above; hairless. Shrub 6' (1.8m) high x 4' (1.2m) wide in 10 years. Plant hardy to at least -18°F (-28°C); buds, -°10F (-23°C). Late May to early June.

(r) 'Jordan's Arabesque':  Elepidote rhododendron: Parentage unknown. H (2000): Unknown; G, N, and REG (2009): Jerry van de Sande, Neptune, NJ. Fls 13/conical truss, openly funnel-shaped, 2.2" (55mm) long x 3.5" (90mm) wide, with 6 wavy-edged lobes; lightly scented. Calyx lobes less than 0.1" (1.5mm) long, strong yellowish green (141C). Color deep purplish pink (66C) in bud, opening inside pale yellow green (4D) shading to a broad margin of moderate purplish pink (68C), the center tinged a slightly darker yellow; outside light purplish pink (68D); unmarked. Truss 6" (150mm) high x 7" (175mm) wide. Lvs held 2 years, 5.2" x 2.5" (130 x 65mm); oblong, obtuse apex, oblique base, down-curved margins; semi-glossy and moderate olive green (147A) above; hairless. Shrub 4.5' (1.4m) high x 4.5' (1.4m) wide in 10 years; intermediate habit. Plant and bud hardy to at least -10°F (-23°C). Mid May.

(r) 'Lavender Cushion':  Lepidote rhododendron: Parentage unknown. H (1980s): Walter F. Winkler, NJ (later retired to Brunswick, ME); G and I: W. Winkler or Cummins Garden, Marlboro, NJ; N (2009) and REG (2009): Jerry van de Sande, Neptune, NJ. Fls 7/ball truss, saucer-shaped, 1" (25mm) long x 1.4" (35mm) wide, with 5 wavy-edged lobes. Color moderate purplish pink (66D) in bud, opening inside very light purple (76B) with tiny darker purple speckles on dorsal lobe; outside strong reddish purple (78B) fading to light purple (76B) at calyx. Truss 1.5" (40mm) high x 2.5" (65mm) wide. Lvs held 3 years, 3" x 0.5" (75 x 15mm); oblong, apex acuminate and slightly twisted, cuneate base, down-curved margins; semi-glossy and moderate olive green (137A) above; hairless. Shrub 1.8' (0.55m) high x 3' (0.9m) wide in 20 years, forming a rounded mound. Plant and bud hardy to at least -10°F (-23°C). Early May. (Synonym: 'Winkler D-67')

(r) 'Magenta Medley':  Elepidote rhododendron: 'Midnight Mystique' (s) X [(R. yakushimanum 'Koichiro Wada' x 'Burgundy') x 'Purple Splendour']. H (1993) and REG (2009): Frank Fujioka, Freeland, WA; G (1998) and N (1998): Greg Kesterson, Freeland, WA. Fls 27/conical truss, saucer-shaped, 2.5" (65mm) long x 3.5" (90mm) wide, with 5 frilly-edged lobes. Calyx negligible. Color strong reddish purple (70B) in bud, opening inside very pale purple (73D) near center, gradually darkening to strong reddish purple (72B) at margins, and with a strong red (53D) blotch in the throat and a few dark red (59A) spots on the dorsal lobes; outside strong purplish pink (68B) darkening to a 1" (25mm) wide strong purple (77B) margin, and with strong reddish purple (72C) midribs. Truss 8" (200mm) high x 6" (150mm) wide. Lvs held 3 years, 7" x 2" (175 x 50mm); elliptic, acute apex, cuneate base, flat margins; semi-glossy and dark green (131B) above; hairless. Shrub 4' (1.2m) high x 3' (0.9m) wide in 10 years; intermediate habit. Plant and bud hardy to at least 10°F (-12°C). Mid May.

(v) 'Maui Maiden':  Vireya (lepidote) rhododendron: ([(R. macgregoriae x R. laetum) x R. saxifragoides], F2) (s) X self. H (1999): William Moyles, Oakland, CA; G (2004) and N (2009): Richard Marques and Sherla Bertelmann, Kea'au, HI; I (2008): Pacific Island Nursery, Kea'au, HI; REG (2009): Richard F. Kruppa, Volcano, HI. Fls 3-5/flat to lax truss, tubular funnel-shaped, 1.8" (45mm) long x 1.5" (40mm) wide, with 5 flat-edged lobes. Color moderate purplish pink (68C) in bud, opening inside and out strong red (41B) at margins shading to light yellowish pink (38C) towards the base; unmarked; stigma: dark red; style: red; filaments: pink; anthers: brownish red. Truss 2.8" (70mm) high x 3.5" (90mm) wide. Lvs 2"-2.2" x 0.8"-1" (50-55 x 20-25mm), elliptic, acute apex, cuneate base, upcurved margins; semi-glossy and dark yellowish green (139A) above; no indumentum visible. Shrub 15"-18" (0.4-0.5m) high x 13"-17" (0.3-0.4m) wide in 5 years; intermediate habit. Plant and bud hardy to at least 40°F (4°C). Flowering 3 times per year for 2-3 months each time.

(r) 'Mesha':  Elepidote rhododendron: 'Janet Blair' (s) X Unknown. H: Unknown (c 1990); G (c1994), and REG (2009): Alan Suchy, Bellingham, WA; N (c1996): Angela Suchy, Bellingham, WA. Fls 9/dome truss, tubular funnel-shaped, 1.8" (45mm) long x 2.8" (70mm) wide, with 5 wavy-edged lobes. Color pink in bud, opening inside yellowish cream, the lobes with pink borders, and with a dorsal blotch of small red speckles flaring outward from the base; outside pink. Truss 4" (100mm) high x 6" (150mm) wide. Lvs 5 x 2" (125 x 50mm); elliptic, broadly acute apex, cuneate base, flat margins; dull and mid green above; hairless. Shrub 4' (1.2m) high x 2' (0.6m) wide in c5 years; open habit. Plant and bud hardy to at least 14°F (-10°C). Mid May.

(r) 'Sammy Brim':  Elepidote rhododendron: 'Tiana' (s) X 'Helen Vieira'. H (2003), G (2006), N (2009) and REG (2009): Delbert Brim, Mt. Airy, NC. Fls 14/ball truss, openly funnel-shaped, c 2.6" (65mm) long x 3.5" (90mm) wide, with 7 wavy-edged lobes. Color greenish white (155C) throughout with a large, central, dark red (59A) blotch, resembling the projected image of a star-burst firework explosion. Truss 6" (150mm) high x 6" (150mm) wide. Lvs held 3 years, 8" x 2.4" (200 x 60mm); oblong, broadly acute apex, rounded base, flat margins; glossy and dark yellowish green (139A) above; hairless. Shrub 4' (1.2m) high x 4' (1.2m) wide in 6 years. Plant hardy to at least 15°F (-9°C); buds, 8°F (-13°C). Early May.

(r) 'Snug Harbor':  Elepidote rhododendron: R. macrophyllum (s) X R. insigne. H and G: Unknown; N (2009), and REG (2009): Irving G. Snyder, Jr., Stevenson, WA. Fls 16/ball truss, openly funnel-shaped, 2" (50mm) long x 3" (75mm) wide, with 5 frilly-edged lobes. Color light reddish purple (74C) in bud, opening inside very light purple (75C) in center, the lobes edged strong reddish purple (70B) and the dorsal lobe spotted with moderate reddish brown (174A) and grayish reddish orange (174B); outside deep purplish pink (70C) with a strong purplish red (71B) stripe in the center of each lobe. Truss 4" (100mm) high x 6.3" (155mm) wide. Lvs 5"-6.5" x 1.5" (125-165 x 40mm), lanceolate, acuminate apex, cuneate base, down-curved margins; moderate olive green (137A) above, with hairy indumentum on underside of leaf and on stem, yellowish white (156D) when mature. Shrub 7' (2.1m) high x 9' (2.7m) wide in 10 years; open habit. Buds hardy to at least 12°F (-11°C). Midseason.

(r) 'Tom Smith':  Elepidote rhododendron: Parentage unknown. H: Unknown; G (2008): Thomas Smith, Mt. Airy, MD; N (2009) and REG (2009): Susan Lord, Linkwood, MD. Fls 8-9/dome truss, broadly funnel-shaped, 3" (75mm) long x 3.5"-4" (90-100mm) wide, with 6 wavy-edged lobes. Color deep peachy pink in bud, opening inside creamy peachy pink with small, deep pink speckles scattered randomly on all lobes, and a mid vein on each lobe consisting of a straight line of deep pink speckles, longest on the dorsal and shorter on other lobes; outside peachy orange pink. Truss 6"-7' (150-175mm) high x 6"-7" (150-175mm) wide. Lvs 5"-6" x 2.5"-3" (125-150 x 65-75mm), elliptic, obtuse apex, rounded base, flat margins; semi-glossy and mid green above; hairless. Shrub c 4.5' (1.4m) high in c 10 years; open habit. May. (Awarded the following at 2009 Mason Dixon Chapter, ARS Azalea & Rhododendron Show: Best in Class, Best in Show, and Peoples Choice.)