ARS Chapters Choose 'Proven Performers'

The ARS Public Education Committee this year asked chapters to compile lists of the best performing rhododendrons in their areas. Not only were these to be plants with good form, foliage texture, and flowers, but they were to be cold and heat hardy and resistant to pests and diseases. The integrity of the lists is based upon the fact that the plants have proven their ability to perform well in members' gardens. The response to the request was overwhelming, with almost all chapters sending lists to the committee. As a result, the Society and its chapters are able to make these lists available to the public to guide them in selecting rhododendrons that do well in their local area.

The chapters were asked to list ten each of elepidotes, lepidotes, deciduous azaleas, evergreen azaleas, and, where pertinent, vireyas. Some chapters followed this procedure, while others included more of one category than another. No matter how the lists were organized, the Society now has a "Proven Performer" list of rhododendrons that do well in specific regions, along with culture tips specific to the area.

The Journal begins publishing the lists in this issue, starting with District 1.

DISTRICT ONE
COWICHAN CHAPTER
Elepidotes (large-leaf)
'Canadian Sunset'
'Fantastica'
'George's Delight'
'Lem's Cameo'
'Loderi King George'
'Malahat'
'Nancy Evans'
'Odee Wright'
'Point Defiance'
'Polar Bear'
'Scintillation'
'Taurus'
'Teddy Bear'
'The Honourable Jean Marie de Montague'
'Top Banana'
'Vulcan'
R. argyrophyllum ssp.nankingense 'Chinese Silver'
R. degronianum ssp. yakushimanum (all forms)
R. rex
R. strigillosum

Lepidotes (small-leaf)
'Blue Diamond'
'Blue Peter'
'Bob's Blue'
'Cilpinense'
'Curlew'
'Ginny Gee'
'Ilam Violet'
'Patty Bee'
'Ramapo'
R. augustinii
R. davidsonianum 'Ruth Lyons'
R. impeditum
R. oreotrephes
R. yunnanense

Deciduous Azaleas
'Exbury White'
'Gilbralter'
'Golden Flair'
'Homebush'
'King's Ransom'
'Klondike'
'Royal Command'
'Tunis'

Evergreen Azaleas
'Mother's Day'
Specific to Cowichan Chapter Region
USDA Zone 8. These plants need part sun, part shade and plenty of water. Fertilize once a year and mulch with oak leaves.

FRASER SOUTH CHAPTER
Elepidotes (large-leaf)
'Blue Boy'
'Bruce Brechtbill'
'Gomer Waterer'
'Helene Schiffner'
'Mrs. Furnival'
'Nancy Evans'
'Odee Wright'
'Percy Wiseman'
'Taurus'
'Vulcan'
R. degronianum ssp. yakushimanum
R. smirnowii

Lepidotes (small-leaf)
'Biskra'
'Blue Diamond'
'Conroy'
'Dora Amateis'
'Ginny Gee'
'Mary Fleming'
'Olive'
'Patty Bee'
'Ramapo'
PJM Group
R. augustinii
R. calostrotum ssp. keleticum
R. impeditum Litangense Group

Deciduous Azaleas
'Arpege'
'Balzac'
'Cannon's Double'
'Cecile'
'Fanny'
'Ginger'
'Irene Koster'
R. albrechtii
R. luteum
R. occidentale

Evergreen Azaleas
'Blaauw's Pink'
'Elsie Lee'
'Helen Close'
'Hino-crimson'
'Mother's Day'
'Pink Rosebud'
'Rosa Flora'
R. kiusianum

Specific to the Fraser South Chapter Region
USDA Hardiness Zones 7a to 7b. Soil: very variable: gravel, sandy loam to clay. Most soils will need some organic amendments such as peat, sawdust or bark mulch mixed in. Must have adequate drainage, but will sometimes need summer irrigation.

MOUNT ARROWSMITH CHAPTER
Elepidotes (large-leaf)
'Aloha'
'Anah Kruschke'
'Anna Rose Whitney''Blaney's Blue'
'Bob's Blue'
'Boule de Neige'
'Bow Bells'
'Catawbiense Album'
'Christmas Cheer'
'Countess of Derby'
'Cynthia'
'Dora Amateis'
'Elizabeth deRothschild'
'Fantastica'
'George's Delight'
'Ginny Gee'
'Grace Seabrook'
'Grand Slam'
'Halfdan Lem'
'Hino-crimson'
'Hotei'
'Ken Janeck'
'Loder's White'
'Loderi King George'
'Marie Starks'
'Morning Magic'
'Mrs. Tom H. Lowinsky'
'Nancy Evans'
'Naselle'
'Noyo Brave'
'Olin O. Dobbs'
'Paprika Spiced'
'Point Defiance'
'Scarlet Wonder'
'Scintillation'
'Snow Lady'
'Teal'
'Teddy Bear' (shade)
'Temple Bells'
'The Honourable Jean Marie de Montague'
'Tofino'
'Unique'
PJM Group
R. augustinii
R. bureavii
R. luteum
R. pseudochrysanthum

NANAIMO CHAPTER
Elepidotes (large-leaf)
'Point Defiance'
'Nancy Evans'
'One Thousand Butterflies'
'Sir Charles Lemon'
'Lem's Cameo'
'Loderi King George'
'President Roosevelt'
'Teddy Bear'
'The Honourable Jean Marie de Montague'

Lepidotes (small-leaf)
R. augustinii

Deciduous Azaleas
'Cecile'
'Klondyke'
R. luteum

Evergreen Azaleas
'Hino-crimson'
'Hino-white'
'Vuyk's Rosyred'

Specific to the Nanaimo Chapter Region
Our area in the Pacific Northwest has wet, rain forest weather. It lies within the USDA Hardiness Zone 8. The soil is predominantly acidic and requires amendments added to the soil. Planting rhodos is taken from Greer's Guidebook to Available Rhododendrons . The site requires a minimum of six hours sunlight to set bud. High nitrogen fertilizer is required, preferably 10-8-6 or 18-11-12. Heavy summer watering is also needed if there is no rain.

NORTH ISLAND CHAPTER
'Cosmopolitan'
'Crimson Pippin'
'Etta Burrows'
'Gomer Waterer'
'Hallelujah'
'Hotei'
'Ken Janeck'
'Lackamas Spice'
'Lady Bird'
'Loderi King George'
'Lord Roberts'
'Mrs. E. C. Stirling'
'Mrs. Tom H. Lowinsky'
'Nepal'
'Peeping Tom'
'Pink Pearl'
'Point Defiance'
'Red Walloper'
'Red Wood'
'Scintillation'
'Snow Lady'
'Susan'
'Taurus'
'The Honourable Jean Marie de Montague'
'Virginia Richards'
'Vulcan'
'Yaku Sunrise'
'Yellow Pages'
R. auriculatum

Specific to the North Island Chapter Region
East side of the north end of Vancouver Island. CADA Zone 7, 8a, 8b.
Knowledge of local climate conditions is important. Check the most extreme winter temperature in the past five years. Note the label on the plant; most have a hardiness label.
The atmosphere must be moist, and during spring, summer and early autumn the plants must be abundantly and regularly watered unless there is almost constant rainfall.
Unless the plants are growing at high altitudes, rhodos should have semi-shade, preferably that cast by trees with delicate leaves such as birch.
Young rhodos should be fertilized before and after blooming.
We are generally blessed on Vancouver Island with just the right kind of acid soil for rhodos, but if your soil is heavy or has an underlay of clay, it would be wise to grow your rhodos and azaleas in raised beds.

PEACE ARCH CHAPTER
Elepidotes (large-leaf)
'Bambino'
'Bruce Brechtbill'
'Centennial Celebration'
'Cynthia'
'Grace Seabrook'
'Hallelujah'
'Hoppy'
'Lem's Cameo'
'Lem's Monarch'
'Muncaster Mist'
'Nancy Evans'
'Neat-O'
'Noyo Brave'
'Pontiyak'
'Rubicon'
'Sir Charles Lemon'
'Solidarity'
'Teddy Bear'
'Unique'
Fabia group
R. alutaceum
R. barbatum
R. bureavii
R. calophytum
R. campanulatum
R. degronianum ssp. heptamerum
R. degronianum ssp. yakushimanum
R. insigne
R. makinoi
R. pachysanthum
R. pseudochrysanthum
R. recurviodes
R. roxieanum var. oreonastes
R. sphaeroblastum
R. strigillosum
R. williamsianum

Lepidotes (small-leaf)
'Biskra'
'Blewbury'
'Bob's Blue'
'Ernie Dee'
'Ginny Gee'
'Goldstrike'
'Ilam Violet'
'Oceanlake'
PJM group
R. augustinii ssp. augustinii
R. impeditum

Deciduous Azaleas
R. occidentale
R. schlippenbachii