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 ponticum L. var. roseum

See Rhododendron ponticum L. for details of the species.  Presumably a variety with pink flowers although I have found no specific reference to roseum.  Hilliers' describes the colour of the flowers of R. ponticum as varying from mauve to lilac-pink.  

Horticultural & Botanical History

No specific data.

 

History at Camden Park

Macarthur certainly grew R. ponticum roseum before 1844 as it is marked with a ‘c’, denoting grown at Camden, in an 1836 Loddiges’ catalogue held at Camden Park.  He comments to James Backhouse on 24th February 1849 that this is one of only three rhododendrons in his collection [MP A2933-1, p.189].  He had previously sent Rhododendron ponticum, R. ponticum roseum and R. ponticum album to John Bidwill in Tahiti. 17th August, 1844.  It was also sold to John Bailey, nurseryman of Adelaide and to James Graham of Melbourne in 1845.

Notes

Published Jun 19, 2009 - 02:01 PM | Last updated Sep 06, 2011 - 05:13 PM

Family Ericaceae
Category
Region of origin

Widely distributed around the Mediterranean, but probably originally from the Asian mountains and the Caucasus.  [Millais].

Synonyms
Common Name

Pink Common Rhododendron

Name in the Camden Park Record

Rhodendendron ponticum roseum 

 

Confidence level high