Rhododendron Cultivars T

'Takasago'

Corolla 11⁄4 in. wide, light shell-pink, slightly deeper at the edge, with pale crimson speckling on the upper lobes. Calyx irregularly petaloid, coloured like the corolla. Not quite hardy (Kurume; Wilson No. 11).

Tally Ho (eriogynum × griersonianum)

Flowers 9 to 14 in a fairly compact truss, on glandular pedicels. Corolla funnel-campanulate, about 1⁄2 in. wide at the base, 2 3⁄4 to 3 1⁄2 in. wide across the limb, vermilion or scarlet, with darker spotting, especially on the three upper lobes. Anthers dark brown, filaments coloured like the corolla. Style tomentose and glandular almost to the tip. Calyx variable, even in the same truss, up to 3⁄8 in. long. Leaves dull medium green above, under-surface lighter and glossy, coated with a pale brown floccose tomentum still partly persisting on the year-old leaves, oblong-elliptic, mostly 4 to 6 in. long, 1 1⁄2 to 1 3⁄4 in. wide, but sometimes up to 9 1⁄2 in. long and 2 7⁄8 in. wide, or even longer (in the Leonardslee form). It is a moderately compact shrub, to about 10 ft, more in width. Late May or June.

This fine hybrid was raised at Embley Park (seed-parent griersonianum) and at Leonardslee (seed-parent R. eriogynum), and received an F.C.C. when shown simultaneously from these two gardens on May 27, 1933. The cross was also made at Exbury. The above description is made from several plants, all very much alike; even the variation is size of leaf may be due to position. Lionel de Rothschild, who also made the cross, said he could see no difference between the three forms. As neither parent shows much variation, this is not surprising. Tally Ho is well represented in the woodland gardens of Sussex, but might not be satisfactory in cold gardens, as it is rather bud tender and subject to bark-split.

A back-cross of Tally-Ho with R. eriogynum, raised in the R.H.S. Garden at Wisley, received an A.M. in 1959 under the name ‘Rosenkavalier’ The back-cross with R. griersonianum has also been made.

Rhododendron Tally Ho at Exbury, Hampshire, UK. 17 June 2009. Image John Anderson.

'Tebotan'

Corolla double, Mallow Purple, with about eleven segments and a denser cluster of tiny green leaves at the centre. Allied to ‘Phoeniceum’, it has long been cultivated in Japanese gardens, and could be looked on as the counterpart among azaleas of the cherry ‘Fugenzo’. It is said to be rare in Japan, but in 1919 Wilson obtained a plant for the famous Holm Lea collection in Massachusetts (Gard. Chron., Vol. 73 (1923), p. 255). According to him the azalea that used to be sold by Japanese nurserymen as ‘Tebotan’ is really ‘Fujimanyo’ (q.v. under Mucronatum). The true ‘Tebotan’ is cultivated in the Savill Garden and received an Award of Merit when shown by the Crown Estate Commissioners on May 21, 1962. Unfortunately the name ‘Tebotan’ was altered to ‘Violet Cloud’ in Journ. R.H.S., Vol. 87, p. 521, but is perfectly valid as a cultivar-name.

'Ted Waterer'

Truss with about 12 flowers. Corolla almost flat, about 31⁄4 in. wide, rosy mauve at the edge, paling at the centre, with a flare of yellowish to brownish-green markings. Anthers purple, filaments white. June. (Waterer, Bagshot. A.M. 1925.)

Temple Belle (orbiculare × williamsianum)

Truss about five-flowered. Corolla campanulate, about 2 in. wide, usually six-lobed, soft pink. Style glabrous. Leaves roundish, about 21⁄2 in. long and almost as wide, cordate at the base. A dwarf dense bush. April. This hybrid was raised at Kew around 1916 and later by F. Rose for Lord Swaythling at Townhill Park. In the Townhill cross, about one-fifth of the plants proved to be even taller and more vigorous than R. orbiculare. The rest were typical Temple Belle (R.Y.B. 1949, p. 95).

Tessa (moupinense × Praecox)

Flowers about three per truss. Corolla funnel-shaped, 2 in. wide, purplish pink, spotted with crimson on the upper lobes. Leaves up to 2 in. long and half as wide, elliptic, somewhat concave beneath. Of comparatively dwarf, rather open habit. Early spring, usually in March. (Stevenson. A.M. 1935.)

A Rhododendron in the Valley Gardens, Windsor Great Park, UK, labelled 'Tessa Pink Form'. 3 April 2018. Image John Anderson.

'Tessa Roza'

In ‘Tessa Roza’ (A.M. 1953) the flowers are deeper, more rosy pink. This hybrid is really very different from Praecox, with which it is usually compared, and shows the influence of R. moupinense strongly in its foliage and in its larger flowers. Being less twiggy, it does not smother itself in flowers as Praecox does.

Rhododendron 'Tessa Roza' at Glenwhan Garden, Dumfries & Galloway, UK. 14 March 2025. Image Tom Christian.

'The Bride'

Flowers in a compact truss of 14 to 16; inflorescence bud-scales persistent. Corolla funnel-shaped, about 21⁄2 in. wide, pure white, with greenish spotting on the upper lobe. Stamen-filaments white. Style white; ovary dark green, glandular. Leaves light green, oblong-elliptic, to 4 in. long, 13⁄8 in. wide, tapered at the base. Medium size, compact habit. Late May. This hybrid is believed to be the same as one raised by Standish and Noble in their Bagshot nursery, before 1850, by selfing a hybrid between R. caucasicum and a white-flowered form of R. ponticum. In point of fact, they called this plant ‘Bride’, not ‘The Bride’, and said it had variegated foliage, but the two may well be the same. At any rate, the plant here described is clearly a hybrid of R. caucasicum. According to Frederick Street, it is very subject to attack by rhododendron bug.

'The Hon. Jean Marie Montagu'

Flowers about ten in the truss. Corolla funnel-campanulate, 23⁄4 in. wide, deep scarlet-crimson (near Cardinal Red), with some black speckling. Leaves oblanceolate to elliptic, 71⁄2 by 21⁄2 in. Medium size. May. (C. B. van Nes.)

Rhododendron 'The Hon. Jean Marie Montagu' at Exbury, Hampshire, UK. 5 May 2010. Image John Anderson.

'The Master'

Flowers about 12 in a large truss, on glandular pedicels. Corolla seven-lobed, funnel-shaped from a broad base, 4 in. wide, with undulated lobes, delicate pink on a creamy ground, with crimson and brown speckling in the throat merging into a prominent blotch at the very base. Style glandular in the lower half or almost to the tip, with a green stigma. Leaves oblong-obovate elliptic, obtuse, medium-green, with pinkish petioles. Tall-growing. May. (Slocock, A.M.T. 1966.) In a lecture given in 1964, the raiser himself said of this hybrid: ‘When King George came round the Chelsea Show and saw this thing, as big as a quart pot, he said “Well, Mr Slocock, I will wait; let me know when you have got the Headmaster.” So large I think it is almost vulgar; how it arrived, I do not know. It came from “China” × “Letty Edwards” officially. Neither of these have huge trusses… . All I can say is, the bees must have got there first, but I would love to know what flower they visited on the way.’ (Journ. R.H.S., Vol. 89 (1964), p. 413). He later suggested it might be a tetraploid (R.C.Y.B. 1970, p. 23).

'The Queen'

Flowers 10 to 12 in a dome-shaped truss. Corolla widely funnel-shaped, 3 in. across, with broad, rounded lobes, mauve in the bud, opening pale mauve shading to white at the centre, with a small orange flare on the centre lobe. Anthers mauve, filaments white. Style sharply upswept at the apex, with a crimson stigma. Leaves dull, dark green, tapered to an acute apex, cuneate at the base. Large, bushy. June. This hybrid was shown by Charles Noble in 1864 and put into commerce three years later, but was probably raised before the dissolution of his partnership with Standish (1856). The parentage was said to be ‘Album Elegans’ crossed with some other light-coloured hybrid.

'The Queen Mother'

Flowers in trusses of nine or ten; pedicels 7⁄8 in. long, clad with red glandular hairs. Corolla wide-campanulate, 2 in. broad, deep rosy pink in the bud, opening white flushed with pink, darker on the reverse. Style white, covered with red glands. Leaves elliptic, up to 3 1⁄2 in. long. Late April (aberconwayi × Halcyone; Crown Estate Commissioners). A.M. April 30, 1968.

Rhododendron 'The Queen Mother' in the Savill Garden, Windsor Great Park, UK. 25 April 2017. Image John Anderson.

'The Warrior'

The older ‘The Warrior’, raised by John Waterer before 1867, is similar to ‘Lord Roberts’ but the corollas are spotted on the lower lobes also.

'Theale'

Using ‘Crest’ as one parent, T.H. Findlay has raised a number of fine hybrids for the Crown Estate Commissioners, Windsor, which are not yet generally available (1975). The following have received awards and been described in the Rhododendron and Camellia Year Book (the second parent is given in brackets): ‘Theale’ (× Penjerrick), A.M. May 3, 1966, R.C.Y.B. 1967, p. 166 and plate 6

Rhododendron 'Theale' in the Savill Garden, Windsor Great Park, UK. 11 May 2021. Image John Anderson.

Thomwilliams (thomsonii × williamsianum)

Flowers about six in an open truss. Corolla wide-campanulate, clear rosy magenta. Leaves up to 21⁄2 in. long, almost as wide, cordate at the base. Dense, fairly dwarf habit. April or early May. This cross was made by E. J. P. Magor at Lamellen, also at Bodnant, and received an Award of Merit when shown from the latter garden in 1935. It makes a neat specimen, but takes after R. williamsianum in refusing to flower freely unless grown in a sunny place.

'Thunderstorm'

Flowers 18 in a compact, dome-shaped truss. Corolla 21⁄4 to 23⁄4 in. wide, dark red, speckled on the centre lobe. Anthers and filaments white. Leaves dark green, glossy, elliptic to narrow-obovate, cuneate at the base, 7 by 21⁄2 in. Medium size. Late May or early June. (Slocock. A.M.T. 1955.) It is not unlike ‘David’ in its flowers, but the foliage is quite different.

'Topsvoort Pearl'

Another branch-sport from ‘Pink Pearl’ is ‘Topsvoort Pearl’, raised in Holland.

For an interesting article on ‘Pink Pearl’ and its progeny by Frederick Street, see R.Y.B. 1950, pp. 61–71 (reprinted in his Hardy Rhododendrons (1953), Chap. 5).

'Torch'

Flowers six to ten in the truss on brownish pedicels. Corolla widely funnel-shaped from a broad base, five- or six-lobed, 41⁄2 in. wide, bright crimson shading to orange-scarlet on the upper lobes and in the throat, where there is a heavy blotch of dark brown-crimson, nectaries dark crimson. Style pink, with a red stigma. Leaves oblong-oblanceolate, to 81⁄2 by 3 in. Medium size. May. (‘Britannia’ × Sarita Loder; Messrs Slocock.)

'Torlonianum'

Flowers about twelve in a dome-shaped truss. Corolla funnel-shaped, 13⁄4 in. or slightly more wide, rosy lilac with a conspicuous orange blotch, tube narrow, downy inside and out. Calyx-lobes linear, ciliate. Stamens nine. Leaves persistent, elliptic, glossy and reticulate above. Medium size. Late May. Of unknown parentage and origin, raised before 1845. Rehder suggests it is R. calendulaceum crossed with R. catawbiense.

Tortoiseshell ('Goldsworth Orange' × griersonianum)

There are several clones in this grex, raised by Messrs Slocock, of which the following have received awards:

– ‘Champagne’. – Flowers 11 to 14 in the truss; pedicels covered with simple and stellate hairs. Corolla funnel-shaped, 3 1⁄4 in. wide, pale yellow at the edge, where there is a slight pink tinge, deepening to richer yellow in the throat and along the centres of the three upper lobes, which are very faintly speckled. Anthers dark crimson. Calyx cup-shaped, irregularly lobed. A.M.T. 1967. In ‘Tortoiseshell Wonder’ (A.M. 1947) the corollas are uniform salmon-pink. The flowering time of this grex is June and the plants are medium sized to tall.

Rhododendron 'Tortoiseshell Wonder' in the Valley Gardens, Windsor Great Park, UK. 5 June 2018. Image John Anderson.

Rhododendron 'Tortoiseshell Champagne' in the Valley Gardens, Windsor Great Park, UK. 26 May 2020. Image John Anderson.

'Toucan'

Corolla widely expanded, cream, fading to white, pink-tinged at the margins, flare large, yellow, fragrant (Knap Hill, 1941).

Rhododendron 'Toucan' in the Savill Garden, Windsor Great Park, UK. 9 May 2017. Image John Anderson.

'Towardii'

‘Towardii’, which sprang from the same cross as ‘Blandyanum’, was named after the foreman at Bagshot Park, under whom Standish had worked before he set up his own nursery. Judging from a plant at Kew, the foliage is quite as handsome as Standish and Noble claimed, the leaves being dark green and broad-elliptic. But the colour of the flowers is a dark bluish pink and not pleasing. It is probably no longer in commerce.

'Treasure'

Flowers solitary, in twos or threes. Corolla campanulate, about 2 in. wide, crimson-pink (51A). Leaves 1 to 11⁄2 in. long, roundish, slightly cordate at the base, bright green, not glossy; petioles purplish. Late April or early May. Dwarf, congested habit. This hybrid was raised by J. J. Crosfield of Embley Park, Hants, in the 1930s but has only recently become widely available.

Tregedna

This cross was first made about 1880 in Lord Swansea’s garden at Singleton near Swansea by his head gardener Harris, who later set up his own nursery. The original plants were up to 25 ft high when Millais saw them in 1915. The cross was later made at Caerhays with better results and the plants from this cross are usually treated as a separate grex under the name Red Admiral. It was also made at Penjerrick, where it was named Tregedna. These hybrids are as early flowering as R. arboreum, and not common outside the milder parts. The flowers are fewer in the truss than in R. arboreum, with a more pronounced calyx, and vary in colour from crimson to blood-red. The leaves are usually (to the naked eye) glabrous beneath, relatively broader than in R. arboreum and usually obtuse at the apex.

'Trewithen Orange'

Flowers about five in the truss. Corolla campanulate with a spreading limb, lobes rounded, extending about one-third or slightly more towards the base, soft orange with a slight suffusion of pink. A beautiful hybrid raised by George Johnstone of Trewithen from R. concatenans crossed with (R. cinnabarinum var. blandfordiiflorum × R. maddenii). The second parent, named Full House and also raised at Trewithen, is really the same cross as Royal Flush, except that different forms of R. cinnabarinum and R. maddenii were used. ‘Trewithen Orange’ flowers in April and received an F.C.C. in 1950. In 1967 the A.M. was given to the clone ‘George Johnstone’, raised at Trewithen and exhibited by Collingwood Ingram, Benenden, Kent.

Rhododendron 'Trewithen Orange' at Bowood, Wiltshire, UK. 12 May 2013. Image John Anderson.

Rhododendron 'Trewithen Orange' in the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Hampshire, UK. 10 May 2018. Image John Anderson.