Rhododendron Rabatz

Code: HRABA
Flower Colour: Red
Flowering Month: May-June
Height After 10 Years: 150-175cm
Interesting Foliage: No
Scent: Not Scented
Hardiness: Below -20 °C

NEW and launched by us at Chelsea Flower Show 2011. Bright fiery red flowers with darker speckling, contrasting with pale anthers. Late May-June flowering. An attractive hybrid with wide funnel flowers. Height 150-180cm in 10 years.

FINALIST IN RHS CHELSEA 2011 "PLANT OF THE YEAR"! We entered this into the stiff competition up against all the best new plants of the Show, and are delighted that it was shortlisted as a finalist. The combination of hardiness, deep red flowers and dark green foliage impressed the RHS Plant Committees.

This is a third generation plant from Hans Hachmann in Germany. The lineage of this plant goes back to "Hachmann's Feuerschein" in 1978. Since then, Hachmann kept re-crossing his varieties until he obtained the quality of the blooms and plant that he wanted. Continual breeding has produced an outstanding plant, winning an award at the RHODO 2006 festival. Being bred for Germany, it is particularly hardy and is able to withstand hard winters and cold locations down to -22C, so it is hardy throughout the UK. It is also notable for its good foliage and dark red flowers. It is therefore a key new variety replacing some older red varieties which were either not hardy for cold locations, or had poor yellowish foliage.

Recommended for: Striking flower and great habit.
Easy to grow.
Ideal position: Most garden situations.
Habit: Dense.
Group: Hybrid Rhododendron.
Parentage: 'Double Date'(s) X 'Erato'.
Hybridization date: pre 2000 (1984).
Bred by: H. Hachmann. Origin: German.
Ideal soil: pH 4.5 to 6.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4.
How we usually propagate this plant: Graft.