QBARS - v4n4 American Rhododendron Society Award, June, 1950, Rhododendron 'King of Shrubs' P. A.

American Rhododendron Society Award - June 12, 1950

Description drawn up from two plants 12-14 years old growing in cool greenhouse at Endre Ostbo's Nursery, Bellevue, Washington. Exact parentage not know; seed originated in England.

LEAVES

Oblong-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, acute at apex, obtuse to rounded at base, about 6 ins. long, 2 ins. wide, glabrous at maturity, dull dark green above, much paler beneath, the vein conspicuous on both side., raised below; petiole about 1 in. long.

FLOWERS

Usually 9-10 borne on a short stout rachis, glandular like the 1½-1¾ ins. long pedicels. Sepals variable in size, the upper larger than the lower, up to 3/16 in. long, glandular, especially on the margin.

COROLLA

Widely campanulate, 4 ins. wide, 3 ins. long, of firm substance, apricot-yellow at base, with greenish yellow spotting in throat at base of upper petals, inner margin broadly banded Porcelain Rose (H. C. C. (620/2), outside richly flushed Carmine Rose (H. C. C. 6/211 to 6/212), glandular on the upper side especially towards the base. Petals 5-7, 1¼-1½ ins. long, 1½-1¾ in. wide, margin undulate, apex notched.

STAMENS

11-13, of three distinct lengths, the longest 1½ ins. Filaments glandular-pubescent in the lower ½-⅔, greenish-yellow, the longest exceeding the tube of the flower: anthers chocolate brown.

STYLE

Curved, shorter than petals, glandular for 4/5 of its length (almost 2 ins.)

OVARY

Ribbed, densely glandular, 7-9 celled (in 3 flowers examined).