Millais Nurseries
Species Rhododendrons
Species Rhododendrons often have wonderful foliage, but are fairly specialist and are best grown by more experienced gardeners.
We pride ourselves in one of the best ranges of Rhododendron species in the country, and we try to propagate these from collectors' seed, or recognised good forms. Many new species Rhododendrons have recently been introduced, mainly from the Himalayas, and we include some for the first time. Many are well worth growing for their foliage alone!
Please note that the flower colour of some species can vary considerably from one clone to the next. eg R. campanulatum can flower from white to pink or deep lilac.
Rhododendron arboreum cinnamomeum 'Everest Reunion'
This plant has neat trusses of pink flowers in March-April. It has distinctive cinnamon red indumentum on the underside of the large leathery leaves. R. arboreum cinnamomeum 'Everest Reunion' makes a good show in our garden and was collected by Colonel Charles Wylie, (David's uncle) who was in charge of logistics and Nepali porters on the successful 1952 Everest expedition. This selection has attractive...
Rhododendron argyrophyllum 'Chinese Silver' AGM
Red in bud, opening to excellent clear pink bell-shaped flowers, with a darker flushing. Flowering in early May argyrophyllum Chinese Silver is an excellent clone that has attractive dark green silver-backed leaves. Height 125-150cm in 10 years.
Recommended for wonderful foliage.
Easy to grow.
Ideal position: sheltered woodland.
Habit: tree-like.
Group: Species Rhododendron.
Subsection: Argyrophylla.
Introduction...
Rhododendron bureavii AGM
Lovely white rose flushed flowers spotted crimson or purple. Flowering in May this is a superb foliage plant, with thick woolly indumentum on the underside of the leaves turning from white to rusty red with age. One of the most distinctive rhododendron species. Our selected clone is propagated from a large plant growing at Crosswater which has great flowers and grows in a neat rounded habit. It has...
Rhododendron campanulatum
Attractive white, pale rose or lilac flowers, in loose but fairly compact trusses. Flowering in April and May it has lovely glossy leaves up to 18cm long with a continuous fawn/rusty brown indumentum underneath. It makes a fine shrub/small tree. Height 125-150cm in 10 years.
Recommended for outstanding foliage.
Easy to grow.
Ideal position: needs careful site selection, good drainage and not too...
Rhododendron campanulatum aeruginosum
A rare, low growing form with purple pink flowers in April. Chiefly remarkable for its intense shiny green foliage with a bluish metallic bloom and an interesting silky buff indumentum on the underside. This is a choice plant that is slow to flower, but well worth the wait! Height 50-60cm in 10 years.
The lithograph is by Walter Hood Fitch. It is based on a sketch by Joseph Dalton Hooker whilst in...
Rhododendron cardiobasis 'Pink Cloud' AC4221
(FORTUNEA H4) Large pinky white funnel shaped campanulate flowers with 7 lobes, late May-June. Distinctive large rounded leaves with a heart shaped base. Related to R. orbiculare. Height 50-75cm in 10 years. Requires moist acid soils.
Rhododendron degronianum heptamerum 'Oki Koki'
(PONTICA H4) Pink in bud, opening to white flowers with a deeper lining in a dense truss during April-May. A tough, neat growing plant forming a dome shape, with dark recurved leaves (130-180 x 40-55mm) and fawn indumentum on the undersides. Height 75-100cm in 10 years.
This plant was selected and named by David Millais from a batch of seed kindly sent by botanist Yuji Kurashige, who collected...
Rhododendron insigne AGM
A great plant with stunning pink bell shaped flowers with crimson spotting in May - June. It has distinctive pointed deep green glossy leaves with a silver/coppery metallic sheen on the underside. This is a tough plant with a neat bushy habit, particularly if grown in plenty of light. It does benefit from deadheading after flowering. Height 80 to 100cm in 10 years.
Recommended for good foliage and...
Rhododendron makinoi AGM (best narrow leaf)
A stunning plant with compact trusses of pinky white flowers in May and June. This selection has interesting long recurved leaves and dense fawn indumentum on the underside and lovely wooly young shoots. It benefits from staking and is certainly worth growing for it's wonderful foliage. As the name suggests, we think this is our best makinoi selection! Height 80-100cm in 10 years.
Recommended for...
Rhododendron orbiculare (Hydon BH1786) AGM
(FORTUNEA H6) Rose or purplish-pink bell shaped flowers in a loose truss. April-May. Distinct bright green rounded leaves with heart shaped base. Height 80-120cm in 10 years. Best in a fairly sunny spot.
Recommended for distinctive foliage.
Easy to grow.
Ideal position: most sunny garden situations.
Habit: compact and dense.
Group: Species Rhododendron.
Subsection: Fortunea.
Introduction date:...
Rhododendron pachysanthum 'Crosswater' AGM
A superb foliage plant with silvery blue covering (tomentum) on the upper leaf surface, and tan wooly indumentum underneath the leaves that is silvery white on the young growth. Distinctive leaves and free flowering pinky white flowers spotted red or green in April and early May form a neat rounded truss. Originally collected from Taiwan, our pachysanthum Crosswater clone is recognised as one of the...
Rhododendron Pubicostatum
(TALIENSIA H7) Trusses of light pink flowers. April-May. Excellent foliage with sparse brown indumentum on underside. Probably natural hybrid between R. bureavii and R. sikangense. Height 40-60 cm in 10 years.
Rhododendron roxieanum var. oreonastes AGM
Attractive white flowers flushed pink with delicate purple spotting in April - May. This is a wonderful choice foliage plant with dark narrow linear leaves that have an interesting buff indumentum on the underside. This is one of the species most prized by Rhododendron collectors, due to its fantastic foliage. However it can be shy to flower in some years and it dislikes fertilizer.
Recommended...
Rhododendron taliense 'Woolly Dane'
(TALIENSIA H7) Creamy pinkish white bell shaped and spotted flowers in April - May. Honey scented foliage. Thick tawny indumentum on underside of leaves.
This selection of R. taliense, 'Woolly Dane' has dense woolly felted indumentum in a cognac colour. This thick soft felt graces the new leaves, their undersides, and the shoots throughout the year. The foliage is elliptic to oval, with quite...
Rhododendron tsariense
Gorgeous pinky white flowers with crimson spotting in April. A rare plant with superb foliage that has dense rufous indumentum on the lower leaf surface and sometimes on the upper surface. A lovely compact slow growing plant that needs good drainage to perform well. Avoid using fertilizer with this plant. Height 40-50cm in 10 years.
Ideal for small gardens.
Plantsman range.
Ideal position: sheltered...
Rhododendron uvariifolium 'Reginald Childs'
Pretty pinky white bell shaped flowers, with a dark central blotch in a large truss of 12 to 18 flowers, in March - April. This is a handsome foliage plant with silvery woolly indumentum on the underside of the leaves and wonderful silver new growth. Height 150-180 cm in 10 years. A choice clone of R. uvariifolium introduced by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Wakehurst Place, and registered in 1976.
Sometimes...
Rhododendron yakushimanum 'Koichiro Wada' AGM
Pink in bud opening to delightful white bell shaped flowers giving the appearance of apple blossom, in the form of a compact truss in May. It features a distinctive white fluffy covering (tomentum) on the top of young foliage which washes off during the course of the summer, exposing the dark green glossy upper surface of the leaves. The lower surface of the leaves also starts off with a silvery indumentum...
