Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Rhodie scholar

Rhodies! The Pacific Rhododendron is the state flower of Washington, and anybody who might arrive here at this time of the year would certainly understand why: everywhere there are rhodies in bloom. They are a very interesting genus of flower that has many different varieties. According to Wikipedia,
There are over 28,000 cultivars of Rhododendron in the International Rhododendron Registry held by the Royal Horticultural Society. Most have been bred for their flowers, but a few are of garden interest because of ornamental leaves and some for ornamental bark or stems.
Rhodies also include azaleas; they grow into small shrubs and even into small trees. They also come an enormous variety of colors. Just for fun (and for the entertainment of my readers), I drove around town this week and took pictures of some of the amazing varieties within a few blocks of my home. This next variety caught my eye; a lady was out mowing her lawn and I stopped to take a picture of this flaming bush. She told me she has had this particular rhodie in her family for more than a hundred years and was quite pleased that I wanted to include her beauty in this post.
As I climbed back into my car and drove a little further down the street, I spied this bush in someone's yard and quickly parked so I could capture it. Notice how different these rhodies are from one another; so many of them have smaller flowers that are quite densely packed together, such as this one.
This bush is about four feet tall and I realized I should have put something in the picture for perspective, but it was too late as I edited my shots. The color is so vibrant that it reminds me of something edible. And of course, while I was learning about rhododendrons, I came across this information in Wikipedia:
It has been reported that the plant is of anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective functions against related diseases, which is probably due to its antioxidant efficacy sourced from flavonoids, saponins and phenolic compounds.
Well! What a wonderful plant it is. Not only good to look at but also an antioxidant! However, I'm not sure I'll replace my Vitamin C with rhodies. Okay, let's see: I've shown you some of the bright colors I have seen around town, but there is one color that I've spied only a few times. It seems that the yellow rhodies must flower earlier than some of the others, since this one was almost past its prime:
I had to bury my camera deep in the blossoms to capture it. The sun was trying to make an appearance but most of my pictures have little sunshine. The delicate buttery color of this flower made for an acceptable substitute for a while. There is a house on the corner of Holly and Eldridge that has at least a half dozen huge rhodie bushes, almost tree sized, and of course I had to show it to you, even if it's a little early in the season to show how spectacular this view will become.
The flowers don't last very long, but as I said they don't all bloom at the same time. I notice that the red ones are quick to burst forth, along with the light colored ones. I'll leave you with one of my favorite red rhododendrons I captured on my odyssey:
These impressive and breathtaking flowers are so much fun to look at, and now I can come back to this post and gaze at them when the green bushes are all that are left behind, and they will remind me that next spring this display will come once again.
:-)

22 comments:

  1. My lord, woman, those are spellbindingly (I don't think it's word, but it works) beautiful. What a great place to walk, to Live! There is a real plus to living in the rainy area. Thank you so much for sharing all this beauty.

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  2. i wish your pictures were scratch and sniff...smiles. lovely flowers...and all the benefits as well...

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  3. I love the Rhodies at this time of yeat too! We have some in our yard and the route we take to go to the grocery store is absolutely stunning when the Rhodies are blooming in all their glory.

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  4. The first has the same qualities as a beautiful orchid. I could not pick a favorite one though...loved the first, second and last!

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  5. They are spectacular !!
    What an awesome display of color and beauty.
    Loved this, thank you for sharing with us.
    ~Jo

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  6. Thank you for the tour and for the information on these beautiful flowers. I had no idea there were so many varieties and colors. As you know Rhodies don't grow in Colorado. I wish they did. I love them. The orange ones were stunning.

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  7. Thank you for the gorgeous display. We have quite a few Rhododendrons and azaleas in our garden, nothing as spectacular as those grown in your state. Pam K.

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  8. Oh wow, what a spectacular display of colors. I love that yellow one, not a color I have seen here. I notice the ones in your photos are packed with blooms, the ones I am seeing here this year are low on blooms. I wonder if our strange winter had an effect on them.

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  9. Beautiful! A feast for the eye..of course I love the yellow ones..but those Orange ones have such a long history how could you not love a plant that has survived that long.

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  10. Wow, these are spectacular. There is a pretty plum variety that seems to flourish here; it's been blooming about a week throughout the neighborhood. I keep wishing I had a spot for one, but I'm making do with pink azaleas. Thanks for the great photos!

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  11. If these are all rhododendrons, it's no wonder I can't tell what I'm looking at when I see them. I am not good at telling what's what with any flowers, really, but I adore them!! These are beautiful photos that I should come back and look at during our seven months of winter--LOL! ;)

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  12. Our land, round about these parts, sits on top of limestone rock and it is mined here and crushed and used for all sorts of things.

    The ground itself is naturally "sweet" because of the limestone. So things like you are showing in bloom today would not grow here unless or until you soaked them about once a month in a bath of acidic soil/fertilizer. I have to use it for a blueberry bush. I can also use it to change the color of the hydrangea bush from its normal pink to blue blooms.

    Reply to your surprise about the language, DJan...

    That "C- - -" word, as you called it, was common.

    But the hat did have that name and I'd hate to imagine what the supply sergeant would give you if you asked for a "cap" or a "khaki cap." lol

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  13. Wow, these are beautiful! I had no idea there was such a variety. Thanks for your field trip and sharing the results. It seems there's a wealth of beauty out there for those who care to look!

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  14. Thanks for the rhodie tour. We don't grow rhododendrons here so it's a treat to see them.
    Now I'll have to look in my plant book and see what we have that's close to rhodies.

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  15. What wonderful colours and shapes. Some of them look so exotic. I had no idea that there were so many varieties. You certainly know your rhodies. I can tell this isn't your first rhodeo! ;)

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  16. These photos are just gorgeous! You may get a lot of rain and cold days during the winter, but your spring certainly compensates for it!

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  17. I always loved Portland this time of year. The big bright colors were a feast for the eyes after a long winter of rain. Thanks for giving us a tour.

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  18. Oh goodie! I can comment! I love Rhodies. Gee... Rhodies is a lot easier to spell than Rhododendrons. We have azaleas here, but not no rhodies. The azaleas don't seem to grow very well though. Then again, it might just be my brown thumb.

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  19. I love the title of this post! It's one of the great things about living in the Pacific Northwest - that abundance of glorious rhododendron color this time of year. We have many in our yard, but I enjoy the huge old ones I come across in my travels even more.

    Your descriptions are as yummy as the colors.

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  20. Very nice pics! Love all those colors!

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  21. Oh, MY, these are my favourite flowering shrubs. I can understand why the Pacific Northwest is the perfect place to nurture them. It must be a true delight to meet up with them this time of year during your hikes.

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  22. DJan....what is the name of that lipstick red rhody that is blooming all over town right now? The red is so penetratingly vibrant, it looks almost flourescent. This bloom looks to be that same color. As a newbie to the Pac-NW I MUST have one! (smile)Thanks for your help.

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