Thursday, March 01, 2007
Rhododendron Olga Mezitt
Since you're already (hopefully) taking my advice, and trying the hardy primroses I've just posted about, you'll want a nice shrub to plant them under, to give them a little shade; a shrub that likes loose, moist soil just like the primroses. May I suggest rhododendron Olga Mezitt (sometimes just labelled as "Olga")? It is from the same background as the famous PJM, being a later cross of R. minus Carolinianum X dauricum, and was hybridized by the same nursery (Weston). It blooms just as PJM is going over, so carries on the season, and is less likely to have its flowers damaged by a hard freeze. Like PJM, it has wonderfully winter-persistent foliage, being more bright green during the growing season, and taking on bronzy tones in the fall. It's a little more upright, and I think is a heavier bloomer in partial shade than PJM. The real attraction, though is its bright pink flowers (they have rusty red spots in the throat). It's a more complementary color than PJM's mauve flowers, yet is actually even brighter, drawing attention from clear across the garden. I don't know about New England; it may be widely overplanted there, but here in Iowa you rarely see it, while PJM is everywhere. Olga gets about five ft. tall, and I also grew it in a previous zone 4 garden. Your garden wants Olga!
// posted by IBOY @ 12:45 PM 
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I attended a lecture by Dave Wanninger of Klehms and he spoke very highly about this lovely lady. He also liked Aglo, (0gla backwards), both named for PJMezitt's wife!
Do you have Northern Starburst?
Do you have Northern Starburst?
Brownie... this is a nicer rhodie than most; first it's very hardy and carefree, and second, it's pink flowers fit in a lot better.
Sissy... I DO have Northern Starburst. It's kind of slow growing, and the jury is still out on it in my garden. I have aglo, and it's nice... a shorter, pinker rhody.
Don
Sissy... I DO have Northern Starburst. It's kind of slow growing, and the jury is still out on it in my garden. I have aglo, and it's nice... a shorter, pinker rhody.
Don
I've had Olga in my garden for over 20 years and she's endured some very harsh temperatures. Did you mention that she's really a deciduous Rhodo, which is why she's so hardy ? She's rarely lost her leaves,but if she was forced to, she could no doubt recover.
Most Rhodos don't like being pruned but I prune Olga ever so slightly after blooming, otherwise she can become leggy.
When clients tell me they can't grow Rhodos here I introduce them to Olga .
Most Rhodos don't like being pruned but I prune Olga ever so slightly after blooming, otherwise she can become leggy.
When clients tell me they can't grow Rhodos here I introduce them to Olga .
Carolyn... I said she's lepidote, which means she has scaly leaves (as opposed to elepidote, the big-leaved rhodys). Olga has some of the best leaves in winter, because they don't curl up as much as most of the lepidsotes.
Don
Don
NO, Don , it's not. " Knowing and Doing are two different things" as my old Grandpappy used to say.
Anyhoo, was just visiting your blog and leaving a comment and didn't expect to be chastised for my comments, but if it makes you feel superior to someone who's only being gardening for half a century, be my guest.
Anyhoo, was just visiting your blog and leaving a comment and didn't expect to be chastised for my comments, but if it makes you feel superior to someone who's only being gardening for half a century, be my guest.
Carolyn... yikes! I meant that entirely as a joke at my expense; that I thought I'd meant to say that it was a lepidote but hadn't at all. I sincerely apologize for seeming to be snippy at your expense; it wasn't in any way meant to be that... just humor gone awry.
Don
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Don
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