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History of Rhododendron Hybridization

The Hybridizers From 1817 to 1867

The Hybrids From 1817 to 1867

1817

HYBRIDUM (viscosum x maximum) Azaleodendron, fragrant yellow. Rev. William Herbert, 1817.

Herbert: Hon. and Rev. William Herbert, 1778-1847 was a British botanist, poet, and clergyman. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1806. He was an undergraduate at Exeter College, Oxford. He was Rector of Spofforth in Yorkshire. He became Dean of Manchester in 1840. He was the third son of Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon, and the father of Henry William Herbert. It was the Rev. William Herbert, cleric and amaryllid expert, after whom the International Bulb Society's official journal Herbertia takes its name, who established the genus Nerine in 1820. Herbert was also one of the first to work in the field of hybridizing especially of vegetables. Herbert was a friend of Darwin and received some of the first seeds brought back by Darwin on his adventures. He is frequently referred to as Dean Herbert. Return to Top

1817

MYRTIFOLIUM (minus var. minus x hirsutum). Origin unknown; shown 1817.

Myrtifolium: The cross of R. hirsutum with R. minus yields 'Myrtifolium,' an excellent performer. This plant seems to have existed before 1824 but where it first appeared and who made the cross are both unknown. Rhododendron minus was introduced to Britain in 1786 via John Fraser. Return to Top.

1819

SUBDECIDUUM (ponticum x calendulaceum), Azaleodendron. Thompson at Mile End, London, 1819.

Thompson: Some claim the first hybrid recorded was an azaleodendron, a chance hybrid between R. calendulaceum and R. ponticum that occurred in Thompson's Mile End Nursery. By 1819 there was a plant of this in the collection at the Royal Botanic Garden at Edinburgh, listed as R. subdeciduum 'Thompson's Hybrid'.
Others claim that the first hybrid rhododendron was a plant called 'Azaleoides,' another azaleodendron, which comes from the cross of R. nudiflorum with R. ponticum. This plant originated at the nursery of a Mr. Thompson at Mile End, London, about 1820. Some claim this was bred in 1814.

1820

AZALEOIDES (ponticum x nudiflorum) Azaleodendron. Thompson at Mile End, London, c. 1820.

1823

MISS NOREEN BEAMISH griffithianum hybrid, M. Koster & Sons, 1823.

Koster: The Dutch hybridizers M. Koster & Sons of Boskoop went on to cross R. catawbiense 'Parson's Grandiflorum' with an unnamed bright red Catawba hybrid to create the still-popular red NOVA ZEMBLA. The same nursery firm more than twenty years later crossed the same two parent cultivars to achieve AMERICA. Return to Top

1829

NOBLEANUM VENUSTUM (caucasicum x arboreum). William Smith, in 1829.

Smith: The old hardy hybrid rhododendron Nobeanum Venustum can often be seen flowering in December if the weather stays mild through early winter. But normally it flowers in late winter. It was raised by William Smith, gardener to the Earl of Liverpool at Coombe Wood, Kingston on Thames, and later nurseryman at Norbiton. At Norbiton, Smith became a very adventurous hybridizer. Return to Top

1830

NORBITONENSE AUREUM ((maximum x ponticum) x molle) Azaleodendron, William Smith, 1830.

1830

NORBITONENSE BROUGHTONIANUM ((maximum x ponticum) x molle) Azaleodendron, William Smith, c. 1830.

1831

ALTACLERENSE ((catawbiense x ponticum) x arboreum) J. R. Gowen, 1831.

Gowen: Rev. William Herbert's azaleodendron HYBRIDUM encouraged his elder brother, the Earl of Carnarvon, to institute extensive experiments at Highclere Castle in Berkshire under the supervision of J. R. Gowen, who later became Secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society. They produced 'Altaclerense', a hybrid between R. arboreum and a R. catawbiense/R. ponticum cross. There is an original plant of this at Tregothnan. This plant exists today, both in the trade and in cultivation. Return to Top

1831

RUSSELLIANUM (catawbiense x arboreum) Russell, 1831.

Russell: Russell's nursery at Battersea. CORNISH EARLY RED is a synonym for RUSSELLIANUM. Return to Top

1832

ORNATUM (viscosum x ponticum) Azaleodendron, Gowen, 1832.

1833

JACKSONII (caucasicum x Nobleanum) Rev. William Herbert, 1835.

1833

NOBLEANUM (caucasicum x arboreum). M. Waterer, Knap Hill, c. 1832 - 1835.

M. Waterer: By crossing R. arboreum with R. caucasicum in 1833, the Michael Waterer (1770-1842) at Knaphill, Woking, UK, produced the well known 'Nobleanum' which flowers at Christmas. In 1870 Anthony Waterer (1822-1896) of Knap Hill Nursery began hybridizing using the species and developed hybrids of the deciduous rhododendrons that included those hybrids from Belgium and species from eastern North America, China, Asia Minor along with R. occidentale from western North America. Then in the 1920's these Knaphill's were hybridized further by Lionel Rothschild of Exbury Gardens in Hampshire to produce the Exbury strain of azaleas. Return to Top

1834

PUNCTA (ferrugineum x minus var. minus) Origin unknown, before 1835.

1835

CUNNINGHAM'S SULPHUR form of caucasicum. Cunningham, early 1800s.

Cunningham: Rhododendron 'Cunningham's White' was an early hybrid introduced in 1830 by hybridizer James Cunningham of Comely Bank Nurseries of Edinburgh, Scotland. His hybrid R. 'Cunningham's White' very well may hold the record for the most propagated rhododendron ever. To this day it is still the best rootstock for grafted plants and used throughout the world for grafting rhododendrons. There are a many great hybrids with R. 'Cunningham's White' in their parentage.

1835

CUNNINGHAM'S WHITE (caucasicum x ponticum var. album) Cunningham, 1830.

1835

NOBLEANUM COCCINEUM (caucasicum x arboreum). M. Waterer, Knap Hill, 1835.

1835

PULCHERRIMUM (arboreum x caucasicum) J. Waterer, Sons & Crisp, 1835.

J. Waterer: In 1829 Michael Waterer (1770-1842) took control of John Taylor's nursery at Bagshot. John Waterer (1784-1868), Michael's brother went to live on the nursery and three of his sons - Frederick, Michael and John - worked with him on the nursery which traded as 'John Waterer & Sons'. It was known for specializing in American plants, especially Rhododendrons. Return to Top

1838

PICTUM (campanulatum x maximum) J. Waterer, before 1839.

1838

SUPERBISSIMUM Parentage unknown. Veitch, before 1839.

Veitch: James Veitch, Veitch Nurseries of Killerton and Exeter. In 1846, Thomas Lobb, a Cornishman working for James Veitch of Exeter, sent R,. javanicum and R. jasminiflorum from Java and Sumatra respectively. Later, he also introduced from the Malayan Peninsula and lower Burma R. malayanum, R. moulmainense, and R. veitchianum. Over the years, the Veitches were instrumental in sending collectors all over the world and introducing a great many valuable plants into cultivation in Britain, but no more rhododendrons until they sent E. H. Wilson to China in 1899. Return to Top

1842

FRAGRANS (ponticum x viscosum) Azaleodendron, Paxton of Chandler & Sons, before 1843.

Paxton: Paxton of Chandler & Sons Nursery, London, introduced Rhododendron 'Fragrans', in 1843, and described it as, "A sweet-scented azaleodendron, fast-growing and compact with trusses of small flowers, pale mauve with centers lighter to white." Recent DNA testing of Rcvs. 'Fragrans', 'Fragrans Affinity', and 'Fragrant Affinity' verified that all three are crosses of R. ponticum and "viscosum", but that the three hybrids are distinct, and not the same clones. The report leads to speculation that the "viscosum" was probably a natural hybrid of viscosum since these are common in the wild and difficult to identify. However, the tests concluded that hybrids Rcvs. 'Fragrans', 'Fragrans Affinity', and 'Fragrant Affinity' were definitely the results of crosses of evergreen rhododendrons of subgenus Hymenanthes and deciduous azaleas of subgenus Pentanthera. Return to Top

1843

APRILIS (ponticum x dauricum). Rev. William Herbert, 1843.

1845

FASTUOSUM FLORE PLENO (catawbiense x ponticum) Francoisi, before 1846.

Francoisi: Fastuosum Flore Pleno' is a sterile double-flowered hybrid, bred before 1846 by Geber Francoisi of the Francoisi Brothers nursery in Ghent, Holland. Return to Top

1846

ALBUM ELEGANS unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1847.

A. Waterer: Anthony Waterer (11822-1896), the second proprietor of the family's Knap Hill nursery was a prolific hybridizer with many hardy hybrids. Return to Top

1846

SAPPHO Parentage unknown; ponticum hybrid ?, A. Waterer, before 1847.

1847

BLANDYANUM (catawbiense x Altaclerense [1831]) Standish and Noble, before 1848.

Standish & Noble: Messrs. Standish and Noble began their famous nursery at Sunningdale in Surrey in 1847. It was just a year before Joseph Dalton Hooker arrived back from Sikkim with seed of his twenty-six species of Himalayan rhododendrons that were to play such an important role in hybridizing over the one hundred years to come. In the early 1850's, many robust hardy hybrids were being offered by Standish and Noble at Sunningdale. In 1859 Standish and Noble parted company. Standish started a separate nursery at Ascot some three miles west of Sunningdale. In 1860 they both introduced a hybrid with R. griffithianum blood; one calling the new hybrid 'Cynthia' and the other 'Lord Palmerston'. We all know which name made it. While Standish was much the better grower and propagator, Noble, it seems, was the better name caller. Return to Top

1848

STANDISHII (maximum x Altaclerense [1831]), Standish and Noble, before 1849

1849

AMETHYST (Noble) Parentage unknown. Noble, before 1850.

1849

CAPTIVATION (maximum x Altaclerense [1831]). Standish and Noble, before 1850.

1849

EVERESTIANUM unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1850.

1849

PFERNHILL SILVER selection of arboreum. Glasnevin Botanic Garden, Trinity College, Dublin, before 1850.

Glasnevin: In 1800 the Glasnevin botanic garden was founded by the Dublin Society for Promoting Husbandry and Other Useful Arts; with its comparative plantings of different crops and regular demonstrations of the latest agricultural machinery, must have been more like a model farm than a botanic garden. By contrast, the Liverpool botanic garden was created in 1803, was more like a public park, an ornamental pleasure garden, full of exotic blooms and very much dedicated to the growing popularity of gardening as a hobby. Return to Top

1849

GUIDO unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1850.

1849

LADY ELEANOR CATHCART (maximum x arboreum). Waterer before 1850.

Waterer: Many hardy hybrids were offered by the Waterer firms at Bagshot and Knaphill. Most of these, unfortunately, were grafted on R. ponticum stocks. This was before it was realized what a very vigorous species this is, and in all too many cases the stocks overwhelmed the scions. This accounts for the clumps of R. ponticum in many old gardens, where originally more attractive hardy hybrids had been planted. Return to Top

1849

LEE'S BEST PURPLE unknown catawbiense hybrid. Lee, before 1851.

Lee: Lee was a pioneer hybridizer of Lee and Kennedy at Hammersmith, London. The gardens of Lee and Kennedy were of such an extensive scale they were considered national monuments. Return to Top

1849

LEE'S DARK PURPLE unknown catawbiense hybrid. Lee, before 1851.

1849

MADAME MASSON (catawbiense x ponticum) Bertin, 1849.

1849

METEOR (Altaclerense [1831] x catawbiense). Standish and Noble, before 1850.

1849

PICTURATUM (Altaclerense [1831] x maximum hybrid). A. Waterer, before 1850.

1849

PURPUREUM ELEGANS unknown catawbiense hybrid. H. Waterer, before 1850.

H. Waterer: Hosea Waterer (1793-1853) was the first proprietor of the Waterer families Knap Hill Nursery, before Anthony. Return to Top

1849

PURPUREUM GRANDIFLORUM unknown catawbiense hybrid. H. Waterer, before 1850.

1849

SYONENSE (arboreum ssp. cinnamomeum var. album x catawbiense). Iveson, 1849.

Iveson: Mr. Iveson was head gardener to the Duchess Dowager of Northumberland at Syon. Return to Top

1849

THE BRIDE form of caucasicum var. album, selfed. Standish and Noble, before 1850.

1850

ALBUM GRANDIFLORUM unknown catawbiense hybrid. Waterer, before 1851.

1850

CUNNINGHAM'S BLUSH (caucasicum x ponticum) Cunningham, c. 1850.

1850

ELEGANS (Altaclerense [1831] x catawbiense). Standish and Noble, 1850.

1850

EUCLID Parentage unknown. Standish and Noble, 1850.

1850

GIGANTEUM unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1851.

1850

MRS. LOUDEN (Altaclerense [1831] x (maximum x unknown). Standish and Noble, 1850.

1850

NOBLEANUM BICOLOR (Altaclerense [1831] x catawbiense). Standish and Noble, 1850.

1850

ORIGINAL form of caucasicum var. album. Standish and Noble, 1850.

1850

PARSONS GLORIOSUM unknown catawbiense hybrid. Samuel Parsons, c. 1850.

Parsons: Parsons Nursery was established in Flushing, Long Island, NY, in 1840. Return to Top

1850

PULCHELLUM (catawbiense x Altaclerense [1831]) >Standish and Noble, 1850.

1850

QUEEN VICTORIA unknown Altaclerense [1831] hybrid. Standish and Noble, 1850.

1850

ROSEUM ELEGANS unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1851.

1850

TOWARDII (catawbiense x Altaclerense [1831]) Standish and Noble, 1850.

1850

VIVID (Altaclerense x maximum hybrid). Standish and Noble, 1850.

1851

ATROSANGUINEUM (catawbiense x sanguineum?). H. Waterer, 1851.

1851

ENGLISH ROSEUM Sport of ROSEUM ELEGANS?. A, Waterer c. 1851.

1851

LEE'S SCARLET unknown catawbiense hybrid. Lee, 1851.

1852

BROUGHTONII unknown arboreum ssp. arboreum hybrid. Broughton, before 1853.

1852

CAUCASICUM PICTUM unknown caucasicum hybrid. Ord of Manchester, before 1853.

1853

CONCESSUM Parentage unknown. J. Byls, before 1853.

Byls: M. Jean Byls of Ghent, Belgium. Return to Top

1853

PICTUM form of caucasicum, Standish and Noble, 1853. (after Pictum 1839)

1855

PLEASANT (thomsonii x campylocarpum). Horlick, 1855.

Horlick: Sir John Horlick, who made his money from a malted milk drink, Horlicks. Return to Top

1855

PRINCE CAMILLE DE ROHAN unknown caucasicum hybrid. Waelbrouck, 1855.

1856

CYNTHIA (catawbiense? x griffithianum?). Standish and Noble, c. 1856.

1856

JEWESS unknown caucasicum hybrid. Liebig, before 1857.

Liebig: Ludwig Leopold Liebig, 1801-1872, operated Elisenruhe Nursery near Dresden. Return to Top

1857

LUCIDIUM unknown ponticum hybrid. Waterer, 1857.

1858

WILSONI (ciliatum x glaucum). Thomas Nuttall, Lancashire, before 1859.

Nuttall: Thomas Nuttall, Lancashire, (1786-1859), a British native, was appointed professor of Botany at the Harvard Botanic Garden. Return to Top

1859

AJAX Parentage unknown. Waterer, before 1860.

1859

AMILCAR Parentage unknown. Standish before 1860.

1859

ATHENIA unknown catawbiense hybrid. Before 1860.

1859

BETSY TROTWOOD Parentage unknown. Standish and Noble, before 1859.

1859

JOHN WALTER (catawbiense x arboreum). J. Waterer, before 1860.

1859

MACULOSISSIMUM Parentage unknown. Standish, before 1860.

1859

MULTIMACULATUM (ponticum x brachycarpum). J. Waterer, before 1860.

1859

PAMELA Parentage unknown. Standish and Noble, before 1860.

1859

RAEANUM (Altaclerense [1831] x (maximum hybrid)). Standish and Noble, 1859.

1859

VESTA Parentage unknown. Standish and Noble, before 1860.

1860

GABRIELE LIEBIG (arboreum x ponticum). Otto Schulz or Liebig, 1860.

Schulz: Otto Schulz, head gardener of the Royal Porcelain Factory in Berlin. Return to Top

1860

JOHN WATERER unknown catawbiense hybrid. J. Waterer, 1860.

1860

ROYAL PURPLE Parentage unknown. Standish and Noble, c. 1860.

1861

ASCOT BRILLIANT (Blandyanum [1847] x arboreum). John Standish, 1861.

1861

DENISONII an unknown dalhousiae hybrid, lepidote. Before 1862.

1861

HENRYANUM (dalhousiae x formosum), lepidote. J. A. Henry, before 1862.

1861

JEAN VERSCHAFFELT unknown caucasicum hybrid. T. J. R. Seidel, before 1862.

Seidel: Traugott Jacob Herrmann Seidel of T. J. Seidel Brothers, near Dresden.

1861

PRINCESS ALICE (ciliatum x edgeworthii). Veitch, before 1862.

1861

SESTERIANUM (edgeworthii x formosum), lepidote. Rollisson, before 1862.

Rollisson: Rollisson & Son Nursery, Tooting, London. Return to Top

1862

BODARTIANUM (arboreum x campanulatum or ponticum). Van Houtte, before 1863.

Van Houtte: Louis van Houtte was born in 1810 Belgium and became one of that Belgium's greatest plant explorers and nurserymen. He operated several nurseries in Ghent. Return to Top

1862

MINNIE Parentage unknown. Standish and Veitch, 1862

1862

PICOTEE ROSEUM (PICOTEE ROSEA) Parentage unknown. Veitch, before 1863.

1862

PRINCESS HELENA (ciliatum x edgeworthii), lepidote. J. A. Henry, 1862.

1862

PRINCESS LEOPOLD (dalhousiae x formosum), lepidote. J. A. Henry, 1862.

1862

SUAVE (edgeworthii x bullatum), lepidote. Liebig, before 1862.

1864

CARACTACUS unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1865.

1864

CHARLES BAGLEY unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1865.

1864

CHARLES DICKENS unknown catawbiense hybrid. Waterer, before 1865.

1864

H. W. SARGENT unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1865.

1864

LADY CLERMONT unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1865.

1864

MRS. JOHN CLUTTON unknown maximum hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1865.

1864

MRS. JOHN WATERER Parentage unknown. J. Waterer, before 1865.

1864

ROSEUM SUPERBUM unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1865.

1864

ROSEUM SUPERBUM unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1865.

1864

RUBENS Parentage unknown. A. Waterer, before 1865.

1864

SHERWOODEANUM - (arboreum ssp. cinnamomeum var. album x catawbiense) J. Waterer, before 1865.

1864

STELLA (STELLA WATERER) unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, before 1865.

1865

ALEXANDER DANCER unknown catawbiense hybrid. H. Waterer, 1865.

1865

BIANCA - Parentage unknown. Before 1866.

1865

OLD PORT unknown catawbiense hybrid. A. Waterer, 1865.

1865

PELOPIDAS unknown catawbiense hybrid. J. Waterer, 1865.

1865

ROSABEL a griersonianum hybrid. A. Waterer, 1865.

1866

MADAME CARVALHO unknown catawbiense hybrid. J. Waterer, 1866.

1866

MRS. R. S . HOLFORD Parentage unknown. A. Waterer, 1866.

1866

SIR JOHN BROUGHTON unknown ponticum hybrid. Before 1867.

1866

SURPRISE (falconeri x thomsonii). J. Waterer, before 1867.

1866

THE WARRIOR Parentage unknown. J. Waterer, before 1867.

1866

VESUVIUS (catawbiense x arboreum). J. Waterer, before 1867.

1867

ANICA BRICOGNE Parentage unknown; ponticum? Before 1868

1867

DAPHNOIDES Parentage unknown; possibly ponticum hybrid. T. Methven, 1868.

Methven: T. Methven, of the Stanwell Nurseries, Bonnington Road, Edinburgh, Scotland. Return to Top

1867

FRAGRANTISSIMUM (edgeworthii x formosum), lepidote. Rollisson, before 1868.

1867

JOSEPH WHITWORTH unknown ponticum hybrid. J. Waterer, 1867.

1867

NAPOLEON BAUMANN Parentage unknown. Baumann of Belgium, 1867.

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History of the Discovery and Culture of Rhododendrons


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