The Perfect Rhododendron For Your Garden

By Mike McCullough

On Friday March 20, at 7 p.m., the Monterey Bay Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society will meet at the Live Oak Senior Center, 1777 Capitola Road, Santa Cruz be having a program by Tim Walsh on Maddenii Series rhododendrons.  Maddenii Series rhododendron species range from the Himalayan forests south to Burma and Thailand and up to Vietnam.  Since many species are epiphytes, they make superb container plants, being able to live in 15-gallon containers for well over twenty years.  Many species and hybrids have fragrant flowers.

Many Maddenii series hybrids were hybridized in California and Oregon by people such as Richard Anderson, Paul Bowman, Hal Braafladt, Len Charvet, John Druecker, John & Fleurette Evans, Jim Gerdeman, Howard Kerrigan, John Hixson, Augustine Luna, Bill Moyles, Bill Moynier, Bob Scott, Peter Schick, Parker Smith, Bob Stanley and Maurie & Fran Sumner. Seven of the hybridizers live or lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, John Hixson lived in Watsonville, and Maurie and Fran Sumner established the Monte Toyon garden in Aptos where they grew their hybrids and other rhododendrons.

It would be good if nurseries and garden supply centers of stores instead of giving us hybrids developed on the East Coast and Europe would specialize in rhododendrons hybridized on our West Coast, especially Maddenii Series rhododendrons.

Tim Walsh, who lives in Eureka California, is a long time member of the Eureka Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, served as President of that Chapter, is the Director of District 5 of the American Rhododendron Society, which includes California and Hawaii, and played a major role in the establishment of the Humboldt Botanical Garden.

Tim Walsh is also a Master Gardener, so besides letting us know about the exciting Maddenii Series Rhododendrons, he can also help solve our gardening challenges.

To enjoy an outstanding program about a superb type of rhododendron, please come to our March meeting.