R. agapeatum

A member of the Parishii series of rhododendrons, there is very little information about this lovely species. We obtained it from Peter Schick of Fort Bragg, CA over 10 years ago, and who knows where Peter got it. He had people from all over the world sending him seed of plants they knew he could grow in his arboretum. The plant is also found in the Mendocino Botanical Garden. The flowers are a rich scarlet red, bell shaped in clusters of 6-10. Blooming starts in early March and lasts for the whole month. It is somewhat tender, hardy to zone 8 and above. 

Rare Variety – This variety is difficult to find anywhere due to these reasons

·       Hard to propagate – many cultivars do not root easily from cuttings, but at a reduced rate thus making the plant rare.

·       Hard to find – these cultivars are hard to find in the first place, probably because they are hard to root from cuttings