Wild rhododendrons?

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arlohike
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Wild rhododendrons?

Post by arlohike » January 6th, 2019, 5:17 pm

Is this a wild rhododendron? I've seen these a lot on various hikes, but have never seen one blooming. Maybe I'm just never out at the right time of year for that.
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adamschneider
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Re: Wild rhododendrons?

Post by adamschneider » January 6th, 2019, 7:43 pm

Yes.

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arlohike
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Re: Wild rhododendrons?

Post by arlohike » January 6th, 2019, 9:33 pm

Thanks! Do the wild ones bloom as extravagantly as the ones around the city? The branches are usually a lot sparser, like the one here; but it would still be neat to find some of these when they're blooming.
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retired jerry
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Re: Wild rhododendrons?

Post by retired jerry » January 7th, 2019, 7:27 am

in the spring, a little later than ones here in the city, not as extravagant

sometimes, walking through Rhody thickets is a pain because they're dense enough and sort of interlocked

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adamschneider
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Re: Wild rhododendrons?

Post by adamschneider » January 7th, 2019, 9:40 am

Our native Rhododendron macrophyllum is one of the parents of some cultivated rhododendrons, but remember that garden plants are almost always bred to have as many flowers as possible. The wild ones are much sprawlier.

They bloom sometime between May and July, depending on conditions and the specific elevation. You're most likely to find them in the 1000'-5000' range, in forests that get a lot of rain.

Limey
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Re: Wild rhododendrons?

Post by Limey » January 7th, 2019, 9:47 am

The road approaching Lost Lake is flanked by lots of rhodies and the lower section of the Lost Lake Butte trail is thick with them. It's just a matter of hitting it at the right time for maximum bloom viewing.

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arlohike
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Re: Wild rhododendrons?

Post by arlohike » January 7th, 2019, 9:59 am

Cool, thanks. I usually switch over to biking some time in May, but I'll have to note some spots where I see these and return later and try to catch them blooming.
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adamschneider
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Re: Wild rhododendrons?

Post by adamschneider » January 7th, 2019, 10:34 am

arlohike wrote:
January 7th, 2019, 9:59 am
Cool, thanks. I usually switch over to biking some time in May, but I'll have to note some spots where I see these and return later and try to catch them blooming.
Do you ever bike up Larch Mountain Road? I bet there's some along there.

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kepPNW
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Re: Wild rhododendrons?

Post by kepPNW » January 7th, 2019, 11:06 am

Unsurprisingly(?), you can find them all around the west side of Hood, in the Zigzag/Rhododendron area. The back (cliffy) route to Ramona Falls, Burnt Lake trail, Cool Creek trail, Devils Peak, Salmon Butte, and of course Zigzag Mtn. Timing varies, but early June, plus or minus a couple-few weeks, is often good.

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June 1, 2018: Wild rhodies blooming on Zigzag Mtn with the small berg of Rhododendron, Oregon, in background.

adamschneider wrote:
January 7th, 2019, 10:34 am
arlohike wrote:
January 7th, 2019, 9:59 am
Cool, thanks. I usually switch over to biking some time in May, but I'll have to note some spots where I see these and return later and try to catch them blooming.
Do you ever bike up Larch Mountain Road? I bet there's some along there.
Sure lots of them back in there a bit, near the junction of Bell Creek and Oneonta trails...

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June 6, 2014: Oneonta Trail, near Bell Creek junction.
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arlohike
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Re: Wild rhododendrons?

Post by arlohike » January 7th, 2019, 8:42 pm

Nice -- thanks again to all of you for the suggestions and photos. (I love the rhododendrons with Rhododendron in the background!)
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