Plants in the Hortus

Many of the plants described here were listed in the catalogues of plants published by Sir William Macarthur in 1843, 1845, 1850 and 1857 and in an unpublished catalogue dated 1861. A large number of additional plants were identified from correspondence, gardening notebooks and other documents surviving in the archives. The Hortus attempts to describe all the plants grown in the gardens at Camden Park and those grown in horticultural enterprises such as orchards and vineyards and includes plants grown outside the gardens in the park-like environs of the Camden Park estate. The Hortus plants served a wide range of purposes in the 19th century household; as ornament, living fences, fibre, dyestuffs, medicines, food and drink from the garden, orchard and vineyard and many others.

Rhododendron arboreum Sm. Var. album

A white flowered form of Rhododendron arboreum. [Hilliers']. See Rhododendron arboreum Sm. for more detail.

Rhododendron arboreum Sm. var. venustum

See Rhododendron arboreum Sm. for details. I have no specific description of venustum which may be merely a synonym for R. arboreum. See Notes for further explanation.

Rhododendron barbatum G.Don

Large shrub or small tree with coloured stems and peeling bark and bell-shaped crimson-scarlet flowers in globular heads. [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Rhododendron calendulaceum ‘Aurantiaca Variegata’

Probably a cultivar of Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr. and treated as such here. Azalea aurantiaca Dietr. is a synonym of Rhododendron calendulaceum and this may be a form, possibly naturally occurring, with variegated flowers or leaves.

Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr.

The species is a robust, deciduous azalea with lax trusses of funnel-shaped, bright orange to scarlet flowers, to 5cm across, usually opening with the leaves or just after they emerge, in late spring or early summer. One of the most vividly coloured of the wild azaleas. To 2.5m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers'].

Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr. var. cuprea

Possibly a cultivar of Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr. but more likely to be a naturally occurring variety and treated as such here. Figured in Loddiges’ Botanical Cabinet as Azalea calendulacea cuprea it has copper-coloured flowers: ‘This is a native of North America, first introduced by Mr. Lyon, in 1806. It is perfectly hardy, forming a large bushy shrub, flowering in May and June. It may be increased by layers, which require two years at least to make sufficient roots. It should be planted in a border, in half loam and half peat soil. How admirable is the beauty of these flowers! how bountiful the Almighty Hand which formed them!’ [LBC no.1394/1829]. The Botanical Register figures Azalea calendulacea var. subcuprea, the ‘Copper-coloured Highclere azalea’, which, although somewhat similar to Loddiges’ plant, is probably distinct. This Folio includes a long dissertation on the Highclere azaleas by the hybridizer, Mr. Gowen, with a long list of resulting named varieties. [BR f.1366/1830].

Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr. var. flammea fulgens

This is a naturally occurring variety of Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr. The species is a fully hardy, low growing shrub with variable, usually orange flowers from 3cm to 3.5cm across, with or without a darker orange blotch. The variety flammea has flame-coloured flowers. Found in open woodland. [Lee].

Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr. var. speciosa

Treated here as a naturally occurring variety of Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr. Tall growing deciduous azalea with funnel-shaped red flowers with yellow spots. To 2m. [RHSD, Hortus].

Rhododendron calendulacea Lee’s ‘Triumphans’

A cultivar of Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr. Azalea triumphans was exhibited by Mr. Green, gardener to Sir E. Antrobus: ‘A pretty rosy blush, with dark crimson spots and blotch on the upper part. It is a first rate variety. Flowers large, and the plant four feet by four feet.’

Rhododendron campanulatum D.Don

A large shrub with bell-shaped flowers in shades of pale rose to lavender blue. [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Rhododendron catawbiense ‘Purpureum Grandiflorum’

Treated here as a cultivar of Rhododendron catawbiense Michaux. It is an evergreen shrub with shiny leaves, to 12cm, and bell-shaped, lilac-purple flowers, to 6cm across, in spring. To 6m. [Hilliers', Hortus]. Probably a hybrid.

Rhododendron formosum Wall. var. gibsoni

The type Rhododendron formosum is a shrub or small tree with elliptic leaves, to 18cm, woolly beneath, and magenta-pink flowers with crimson spots and a basal blotch. The form Gibsonii has fragrant, white, pink-tinted flowers. To 5m. [RHSD, Hortus, Millais]. The variety gibsoni is naturally occurring.

Rhododendron indicum Alba Compacta’

Presumably a cultivar of Rhododendron indicum Sweet but I have found no description of this azalea.

Rhododendron indicum ‘Alba’

Probably a cultivar of Rhododendron indicum Sweet but see History and Notes. ‘This Azalea is said to have been introduced from China, by Mr. Brookes, of the Nursery, Ball’s Pond, in 1819. It is now commonly cultivated in our greenhouses, and is, I believe, generally considered to be a white-flowered variety if Azalea indica. […] But if the two plants be compared, many differences will be discovered which have led me to describe the present as a species. The A. indica, for example, is a very free growing plant, arriving at a height of eight or ten feet, with long, twiggy, pendant shoots. […] A. ledifolia blossoms at the same season, with the indica, namely, at the latter end of the winter, and in early spring, and requires the same treatment. It is not indeed a plant which boasts such vivid colours as the common Indian Azalea, but it is not less worthy of cultivation on account of the extreme delicacy and pure whiteness of the flowers, and their fragrant scent.’ [BM t.2901/1829].

Rhododendron indicum ‘Apollo’

An uncertain identification but probably a hybrid of Rhododendron indicum Sweet. Galle describes ‘Apollo’ as a Belgian Indian Hybrid, with deep scarlet, semi-double flowers, introduced to Britain by Knight and Perry in 1843. A ‘semi-duplex maculata, though an early sort, still in perfection.’ [Gard. Chron. 1858].

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