Rhododendron Cultivars V

Valaspis (leucaspis × valentinianum)

Flowers about four in the truss, on stout pedicels. Corolla widely spreading, 2 in. wide, scaly outside, pale creamy yellow. Calyx almost 1⁄2 in. long, lobed almost to the base. Leaves broad-elliptic, to 2 in. long, glossy above, glaucous beneath, ciliate. Dwarf, open habit. April. (Aberconway. A.M. 1935.)

Vanessa (griersonianum × Soulbut)

Flowers in a lax truss, on glandular pedicels. Corolla trumpet-shaped, 3 in. wide, clear soft pink, with dark crimson nectaries, throat deeper coloured than the limb, with two lines of speckles. Style glandular to the tip. Leaves oblong-oblanceolate, to 7 in. long, dark green and glossy. May. (Aberconway, cross made 1924. F.C.C. 1929.) There appear to be three clones at least of Vanessa in commerce. The one described above is ‘Vanessa B’. In ‘Vanessa A’, which is probably the F.C.C. clone, the corolla is more heavily speckled. ‘Vanessa Pastel’ is rather more distinct; the corolla has a cream ground-colour, but is flushed with pink at the edge and the throat is red. F.C.C. 1971.

Vanessa is of interest as the first hybrid of R. griersonianum to be exhibited at an R.H.S. Show, but many followed in the next few years. The Vanessa clones flower in May, are of moderate growth, and quite hardy.

'Venus'

At first deep pink, fading to lighter pink, with faint green markings in the throat. The original plant is at Exbury but was raised at Leonardslee. One of the finest clones, recommended for an Award of Garden Merit.

See notes for Loderi group

'Vida Brown'

Flowers mostly solitary. Corolla 13⁄4 in. wide, crimson, with a large petaloid calyx. Low, spreading habit. Late May or early June. Raised by C. E. Brown and put into commerce by Messrs Stewart, Ferndown, Dorset. A.M.T. 1960.

'Vienna'

The cross (Naomi × wardii) was later repeated at Exbury and some of the seedlings were sent to the Knap Hill nursery, from which ‘Vienna’ was selected and registered in 1962.

See notes for Idealist Group.

'Viscosepalum'

Flowers very fragrant, twelve to fourteen in the truss; pedicels densely glandular. Buds buff at the tips with a green tube, opening ivory white with a small yellow flare, 13⁄4 in. wide, tube sticky with stalked glands. A hybrid between R. molle (Azalea sinensis) and R. viscosum, raised at the Knap Hill Nursery before 1842. The original plant is 9 ft high and 21 ft in spread. ‘Viscosepalum’ is much nearer to R. viscosum than is ‘Daviesii’, which has the same parentage but is more richly coloured and not so glandular.

'Viscount Powerscourt'

Flowers 14 in a dense truss. Corolla funnel-shaped, 25⁄8 in. wide, margins wavy, deep rosy pink, with a conspicuous flare of black markings on the centre lobe. Anthers pale brown, filaments rosy mauve. Style pale rose; ovary glabrous. Leaves elliptic to oblanceolate, acute, to 4 in. long. Moderate growth. June. (Waterer, Bagshot, before 1888. A.M. 1906.) One of the old dark-eyed hybrids that are now again becoming popular.

'Vulcan'

Flowers about ten in a dome-shaped truss. Corolla funnel-shaped, 25⁄8 in. wide, wavy at the margin, bright red (near 45d). Medium size, compact habit. May. (‘Mars’ × griersonianum; Waterer, Bagshot, 1938. A.M.T. 1957.) This is an example of the use of R. griersonianum to produce hardy hybrids in brighter and cleaner shades of red than any of the older sorts, which derived their colouring from R. arboreum.

'Vuyk's Rosy Red'

Corolla 23⁄4 to 3 in. across, widely funnel-shaped from a broad base, Neyron Rose, with a brighter red flush in the throat and on the outside, slightly speckled on the upper lobes. Stamens eight or nine, their filaments pink. Style red. Low growing. Late May or early June. (Vuyk van Nes, 1954.) A.M.T. May 31, 1962. Crossed with an unnamed seedling, this has produced ‘Mahler’, with Petunia Purple flowers speckled on the upper lobes, borne in the first half of June.

'Vuyk's Scarlet'

Flowers solitary or in pairs. Corolla funnel-shaped from a broad base, of firm texture, lobes frilled, overlapping, bright crimson (not scarlet), with some darker spotting in the upper part. Low, spreading habit. Early May (Vuyk van Nes, 1954). One of the best and most reliable of the evergreen azaleas. F.C.C.T. May 10, 1966.