12. The Giants
Large-flowered Rhododendron cultivars Part 1.
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The dream of creating large-flowered cultivars was first fully realized after species of the Rhododendron decorum-group, particularly R. griffithianum were introduced. This resulted in larger, but also more substantial flowers that last longer and, in some cases, also produce scent. The foliage of these cultivars is vigorous and healthy. Their weakness is in a tendency towards tree-like growth, with bare lower stems. This is the case for the classic ‘Pink Pearl’, which has been improved e.g. in the American ‘Scintillation’, ‘Lem’s Monarch’ and ‘Trude Webster’ – perhaps the biggest-flowered of all. Only the Czech ‘Dagmar’ is compact in growth; it is also scented.
There have also been attempts to introduce red flowers in this group. Few can match the classic ‘Jean Marie Montague’ for colour, but it has been improved both in growth form and hardiness in ‘Grace Seabrook’, ‘Lem’s Stormcloud’ (the darkest red), and (arguably the best overall) the early flowering ‘Taurus’.
