QBARS - v6n4 Cover

Cover

The illustration on the cover of The Quarterly Bulletin is R. occidentale . Both of these fine specimens are growing in the garden of Mr. Bob Bovee, vice president of the A.R.S. who kindly submitted the photograph. Mr. Bovee states that one of these specimen plants is superior to the other in color and habit and that this variation can be quite pronounced is not at all unusual. During the middle of June I had the occasion to visit the Azalea State Park at Brookings Oregon where many hundreds of native R. occidentale were in full bloom, and though many were only slightly different or nearly alike, others seemed to be plants that varied widely both in habit and color. The caretaker at the Park informed me that many R. occidentale bloom as early as May and during the entire summer some bloom is in evidence.
Since the species R. occidentale is a native of Oregon's coastal area one would naturally expect the use of this fine rhododendron in great abundance in gardens in the Pacific Northwest. Though many fine specimens of this beautiful species are a delight in gardens it has never been used lavishly or been common. Several nurseries now specialize in the production of R. occidentale in the Northwest, and the availability of plants should encourage larger and more numerous planting.