Rhododendron Flower

This variety of Rhododendron is rather wonderful when you think about it. It is is big, blowsy and brash when seen from a distance, and a delight of natural engineering when looked at more closely.

The florets open one at a time, continuing until from a distance the flower head resembles a small blancmange. The way they open makes sure there's always a fresh food supply for pollinating insects.

The flower head is carried proudly at the end of a stem above leaves that droop downwards. The buds point upwards, but once open the individual florets point downwards. Perhaps this stops rain collecting inside the flower, perhaps it provides a better landing platform for bumble bees.
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Picture taken at Exbury Gardens, 29th March 2009. The gardens at Exbury cover 200 acres.
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This particular plant may be the result of the one of the 1,200 rhododendron crosses carried out by Mr Lionel de Rothschild from 1920 onwards. (Read more - here on the Exbury website - or  - here, an article by Paul Martin, who was Head Gardener of Exbury -
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