Rhododendron Maddenii

Short Description
Species. Large trumpet flowers near pure white up to 10cm long in loose truss. Very fragrant. Shrub up to 2m with dark glossy leaves. Compact.

More Information
Parentage: R. maddenii is a species

R. maddenii is a rhododendron species native to Bhutan, northern Indian, northeast Myanmar, Sikkim, Thailand, northern Vietnam, and southwestern China where it grows at altitudes of 2600-3200 meters. It is a shrub or small tree that grows to 3-6 m in height, with leathery leaves that are lanceolate, oblong-oblanceolate, or elliptic, 5-15 by 2-8 cm in size. Flowers are predominantly white.

Discovery is attributed to Joseph Dalton Hooker, a 19th century botanist who did much exploratory work during the 1800’s including in New Zealand and Antarctica. Many taxa are named in his honor including Raoulia Hook.f. ex Raoul and its sub taxa Raoulia hookerii. The New Zealand or Hooker's Sea Lion Phocarctos hookeri (Gray, 1844) is also named in his honor, as is the Hooker Valley in the Mt Cook National Park. In 1855 JD Hooker was appointed assistant director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and in 1865 became the director for the next 20 years.

For more information on JD Hooker see wikipedia.

Cultivation
The number one requirement to grow good Rhododendrons is quality top soil. Avoid clay and sand like soils.

When planting dig a hole wider than seems necessary so the soil will be soft and friable around the root ball. The roots of Rhododendrons are like fine filaments and will struggle in solid hard packed ground. For this reason, Rhododendrons planted in a lawn area may struggle especially in a dry season. After planting water in well to settle in and to remove air pockets. It is a good idea to cover the soil surface around the plant with humis to retain moisture - though do not use lawn clippings.

After planting and one good watering it should not be necessary to do any more watering, except in drought like conditions. Do not water every day, and even worse, several times per day.

Rhododendrons can be susceptible to mites and a few other pests. For best results spray with an insecticide in spring to keep new growth clean and vibrant. An alternative to insecticide is to use summer oil, or even a bit of dish wash liquid well diluted in water. Apply using a sprayer, or even a watering can with a rosette.

After flowering is finished remove dead flower heads to tidy up the plant. While old flower heads will fall off by themselves over time, removing dead heads will improve the appearance.