I have a Rhododendron Ponticum which was acquired from Snowdonia. The parent
plant had if I remember correctly had pink flowers however this plant has
produced purple flowers. Does the soil condition affect the flower colour?

Thanks

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 7 May 2011 16:04:26 +0100, "M"
wrote:

I have a Rhododendron Ponticum which was acquired from Snowdonia. The
parent
plant had if I remember correctly had pink flowers however this plant has
produced purple flowers. Does the soil condition affect the flower
colour?

Thanks

Not sure about the effect of soil conditions on flower colour, but R.
ponticum is very variable in its colour. In large stands of them (if
the ponticum police haven't obliterated them) there are many shades of
purplish pinks and pinkish purples, through to quite reasonable
purples. When you say 'the parent plant' do you mean the seed parent,
or a cutting/layering? If it was a seed that you germinated, or a
seedling that you 'acquired', then anything goes, but if a cutting or
a layering then I would expect it to be the same colour as the parent.

--

Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales


The cutting was layered (by leaf mould) and is now growing in clay soil with
some peat, much less acidic than the conditions of the parent plant.
Pictured here is the collection point, the mountain Sygun

http://www.wales-underground.org.uk/sygun/

I don't feel too guilty taking it as they are currently being killed off
with herbicide! I have never understood why they don't just pot them and
sell them to the tourists.