Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Rhododendron indicum ‘Coccineum’

Probably a cultivar of Rhododendron indicum Sweet, it is a low, spreading shrub with large, late flowering, single, scarlet-red flowers.  [Millais].  A. indica coccinea superba is listed as a good garden variety by later editions of Paxton's Dictionary, but indica coccinea is not included. 

Horticultural & Botanical History

For more information on Indica Azaleas see Rhododendron indicum Sweet.

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [T.107/1850].  Azalea indica coccinea is listed in the 1836 edition of Loddiges’ Nursery catalogue, a copy of which is held at Camden Park [CPA].  This is the likely source.

Notes

Galle describes a variety ‘Coccinea’, synonym ‘Amoena coccinea’, introduced by Robert Fortune from Shanghai about 1850.  A sport of amoena it has vivid red hose-in-hose flowers, and tends to revert to the single amoena form.  It is not likely to be Macarthur’s plant.

Published Jun 05, 2009 - 05:16 PM | Last updated Sep 12, 2011 - 04:35 PM

Family Ericaceae
Category
Region of origin

China or Japan, this variety of garden origin, possibly England or Belgium

Synonyms
  • Azalea indica L. splendens

 

Common Name

Indica Azalea

Name in the Camden Park Record

Azalea Indica coccinea 

Confidence level medium