Memorial Tree

Hello,

I'd like a bit of advice on identifying the tree in the attached pictures.

The chap in the picture is my nephew who unfortunately passed away in 2010. He loved this tree and I thought it would be nice to collect some of its seeds and grow some saplings for my family to plant in their gardens.

I'm fairly new to gardening so I would really appreciates some advice on the following (although anything else you can think of would be greatly appreciated!):

• What is it?!
• What do its seeds look like and when should I collect them?
• When should I plant the seeds?
• What should i plant them in? Type of compost?
• How should it be looked after during 'incubation' and after planting?
• Where should it be planted? e.g. how sunny?
• Anything else I should know? Is it going to grow like wildfire and take over the garden?!

Many thanks in anticipation of your help.

Tom

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner Tom.

Sorry to hear about your loss, that must be terrible to loose someone so young.

Its a Rhododendron, not my department but I expect there will be someone along in a bit who knows about propagating them.

 

Tom, desperatley sorry to hear of your loss,I'd definately go with with Marleys advice and i'm sure they would oblige....if not ask for the name of it ,i'm sure between us all we could come up with something.....

 

So sad to lose someone you love who is so young.

It might help to know where the pic was taken.
For example the common huge Rhodo in Cornwall is Rhododendron Cornish Red.

http://botanicals.streamlinenettrial.co.uk/cpg14x/displayimage.php?album=39&pos=40

The best way is to buy one in flower from a nearby nursery. Then you are sure it has the coloured flowers you want. Many are propagated by grafting rather than from seed.

Most Rhodos like acidic soil.

 

So sorry for your loss
That's one hell of a Rhododendron, stunning

If you want plants that look like the mother plant then taking cuttings is the preferred method of propagation. You could grow them from seed but they won't necessarily look like the mother plant.

(Layering is probably the easiest way, but not practical in this instance.)

Alternatively, you could contact the garden where it is and ask them what variety it is, and then buy a small one for each person? Or perhaps you can get them to propagate the cuttings for you?

It won't take over your garden - they are relatively slow growing and the one in the pic will have taken many many years to reach that size.

 

Assuming its a public garden, you will need to ask permission but if you look under the plant you may find small ones already there ready for transplanting as they will layer themselves when branches touch the ground.

As everyone else has said, so sorry when you hear about such a loss but what a lovely idea for a memorial.

Best wishes

 

Many rhododendrons take very well from an older style propagation method known as layering which I think some of the lower branches on that specimen would be perfect candidates for only problem is that it takes about a year before it would be it's own mini plant.

Presuming this is in a public garden why not get in touch as I'm sure one of the gardeners would happily spend 15 minutes or so doing it for you (just got to remember where it is on that monster!!)

failing that there are absolutely thousands of different Rhododendrons which you could pick up from a local nursery to remember your nephew by