QBARS - v15n2 Dexter Rhododendrons

Dexter Rhododendrons

For about twenty years the late C. O. Dexter of Sandwich, Massachusetts, hybridized rhododendrons numbering in the thousands annually. He selected and numbered the finest, giving layered plants to friends. He also distributed many thousands of small seedlings in flats. After his death many more plants were distributed.

Dr. Clement G. Bowers felt that a critical examination should be made of the scattered plants in many collections so that the best could be selected for distribution. He formed a committee of Paul Bosley and Paul Vossberg (who already were propagating some of these seedlings in their nurseries) and Edmond Amateis, David G. Leach, Henry T. Skinner, John C. Wister and Donald Wyman.

In 1949 and the early 1950's they visited sixteen large collections in which Dexter seedlings were being grown, marking, describing and code numbering a dozen or so plants in each place. Over a hundred of these were then propagated for the Scott Horticultural Foundation where they are now being grown. Plants or cuttings of some of these have been distributed to the Arnold and the National Arboretum and to interested nurserymen. Nearly a dozen varieties have been named and offered for sale.

The Committee plans to meet this year to evaluate and name the kinds still under number; cuttings of these will be made available for distribution on a first come, first served basis as the number of cuttings from small plants is of course very limited.

As several arboretums and various nurserymen are growing plants under code numbers, it is desirable that they should know which ones have already been named. The following list gives the names and the code numbers. (Those which have been offered for sale in nursery catalogs are marked with an asterisk.)

Alice Poore (B. Moseley #52-1); "Amethyst (H. Phipps #8); Ben Moseley (B. Moseley #51-6 or 52-8); *Brookville (H. Phipps #1); *Champagne (NYBG #2 or A); *Dexter Orchid (Everitt #2); *Dexter Pink (Everitt #1; *Dexter Purple (NYBG #6 or 203); *Dexter Red (Morris #2); Huntington (Parker #5); Mr. W. R. Coe (Parker #10); *Mrs. W. R. Coe (Parker #3); *Scintillation (NYBG #1 or 67); Tom Everitt (NYBG #4 or 205); *Westbury (H. Phipps #3); *Wheatley (H. Phipps #2).

The following which were not selected by the committee were named by Mr. Dexter and/or Mr. Everitt:' Apple Blossom', 'C.O.D.', 'Josephine', 'Everitt', 'Koster's Choice' (Syn. 'Peter Koster').

Note should be made that 'Brookville' and 'Wheatley' are hybrids made by Mr. Phipps using Westbury as the seed parent. A more recent hybrid made by Vossberg is to be called 'Helen Everitt.'

Note 1-'Brookville' and 'Wheatley' are not Dexter seedlings. They are crosses made by Mr. Phipps, 'Westbury' x 'Meadowbrook'.

Note 2-'Helen Everitt' is not a Dexter seedling. It is a hybrid of a Dexter seedling.

Note 3-In addition to the above, Paul Bosley has given the names 'Brown Eyes' and 'Lavender Princess' to two Dexter seedlings, but it is not known if he plans to propagate and distribute these.