CHAPTER IX 

 JAVANICUM HYBRIDS FOR WARM GREENHOUSE 



Rhododendron javanicum was introduced into cultivation by 

 Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons through their collector, Thomas 

 Lobb, and it flowered first in their nursery in 1847. ^ ^ s 

 a sturdy evergreen shrub, with leaves as large as those of 

 R. ponticum, but thicker, and the heads have from eight 

 to twelve large, fleshy, orange-yellow flowers, with a few 

 scattered, red spots. It grows in moist forests at a high 

 elevation in Java, and under cultivation it requires the 

 conditions of a warm, moist greenhouse. 



In the development of the race known as Javanicum 

 hybrids this species has played quite as important a part 

 as R. catawbiense did in the production of the hardy 

 race. Crossed with other species from the Malay regions 

 viz. R. jasminiflorum, R. Teysmannii, R. Brookeannm f R. 

 multicolor, and R. malayanum and their progeny with each 

 other, about two hundred hybrids and crosses have been 

 obtained, their colours ranging from deep crimson to rich 

 golden-yellow and pure-white, and their forms from that of 

 a Jasmine to big bell-shaped flowers, and double in some 

 cases as the tuberose (balsamiflorum). The first of these 

 hybrids sent out by Messrs. Veitch, in whose nurseries 

 they have all been raised, the early ones by Taylor, and the 

 later by Heal, was Princess Royal, soon afterwards followed 



by Duchess of Edinburgh and Taylori. 



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