JARS v48n1 - ARS Plant Awards, 1993

ARS Plant Awards, 1993

The purpose of the ARS Plant Awards Program is to improve the quality of rhododendrons available to the public and to publicize these plants, insuring their propagation and distribution. The ARS Plant Awards Committee, consisting of a Chairman, an Eastern Awards Chairman and a Western Awards Chairman, administers the program. The judging of plants selected for the awards is done by chapter awards committees.

A number of awards can be given, but a plant first must be placed on the Eligibility List, indicating it may be worthy of an award in the future. This is technically not an award but the first step in determining, after further observation, whether the plant should be considered for an award. A Conditional Award (C.A.) indicates that the plant appears to have ornamental and cultural qualities superior to those rhododendrons of similar color, plant habit and blooming period currently available. Further trial is needed before the plant can be granted a major award. The Award of Excellence (A.E.) indicates that a plant has ornamental and cultural qualities above those of similar rhododendrons. Before a plant is given an Award of Excellence it must have received a Conditional Award. The Superior Plant Award (S.P.A.) is the highest award conferred by the ARS and is reserved for the rare, truly outstanding plant that is distinctly superior to other rhododendrons of similar color, plant habit and blooming period. The plant must have received an Award of Excellence previously. Awards are sometimes qualified by a regional designation, indicating the geographical area in which the plant was grown and judged.

Conditional Award

'Gordon Jones' ('Sappho' x R. yakushimanum Exbury form) Hybridizer: Dick Murcott. Exhibitor: Warren Brack. Plant habit compact 6' wide x 4½' high at 18 years of age. Ball truss of 21 openly funnel-shaped flowers, 2½" diameter x 2½" long. Color: white with purple flare. Quality rating 4/4. New York Chapter.

(‘Nancy Evans’ x ‘Pink Petticoats'). Clone #14. Hybridizer and owner: Jim Barlup.

'Marley Hedges' ('Anna' x 'Purple Splendour') Hybridizer and owner: Elsie Watson. A well-branched upright plant 3½' wide x 5' high in 13 years. Ball truss of 24 openly shaped flowers, 4" diameter x 2¾" in length. Color: white, edged strong reddish purple, RHS 72B, blotched purplish red RHS 184A-C. Quality rating 5/4. Seattle Chapter.

Eligibility List

'Nancy Evans' x {[('Lem's Goal' x 'Loderi') x Brandt hybrid] x an unregistered Whitney hybrid}. Clone #3. Hybridizer and owner: Jim Barlup.
('Nancy Evans' x 'Lionel's Triumph') x {[('Lem's Goal' x 'Loderi') x 'Lem's Cameo'] x [('Lem's Goal' x 'Loderi') x Brandt hybrid]}. Clone #6. Hybridizer and owner: Jim Barlup.
'Nancy Evans' x ('Mrs. Betty Robertson' x 'Fred Rose'). Clone #7. Hybridizer and owner: Jim Barlup.
'Nancy Evans' x 'Mrs. Furnival'. Clone #11. Hybridizer and owner: Jim Barlup.
'Nancy Evans' x 'Pink Petticoats'. Clone #14. Hybridizer and owner: Jim Barlup.
An unregistered hybrid of ['Hotei' x ('Virginia Richards' x 'Hawk' seedling) x ('Pink Petticoats' x R. yakushimanum )]. Hybridizer and owner: Jim Barlup.