The January program will feature Dick Cavender and his favorite
rhododendron plant, R. occidentale. But there is more to Dick than
just azaleas. He has been an avid collector, hybridizer and grower of plants
for some 40 years.
He has been an American Rhododendron Society member since 1969, and is a Life
member of Portland Chapter, an associate member of Tualatin, Willamette, Hawaii
and Eugene chapters. Treasurer and past President of Portland Chapter.
Past Director of Dist. 4, Oregon State. He received the Silver Medal from the
American Rhododendron Society and the Bronze Medal from the Portland Chapter.
In addition, he received an HCC from the American Orchid Society for Pleione
aurita 'Karen', and is also the breeder of R. occidentale 'Frank Mossman'.
As if that isn’t enough, he also has memberships in the Sedum Society (England),
the Berry Botanic Garden, the Hardy Plant Soc. of Oregon, the Friends of Connie
Hanson Garden, ant the Rhododendron Species Foundation.
Red's Rhodies is a hobby that gotten severely out of control. The focus has changed
over the years as his tastes and interests have evolved; his first love was and
still remains the genus Rhododendron and especially the native Western Azalea,
R. occidentale. He grows some 30 to 40 selected clones and is carrying on a long
term hybridizing program to develop bigger and better (and mildew resistant) R.
occidentale. One focus has been to combine a small double flowered clone with
some of the large flowered clones to produce large doubles. Another effort
combined the fragrance of R. occidentale with the color and late blooming season
of several of the Eastern Native Azaleas such as R. bakeri and R. calendulaceum.
His collection of Vireya (tropical) Rhododendrons fills most of an 800 square
foot greenhouse and there is always something in flower. Two additional poly
houses shelter other tender rhodies and are used for growing a wide variety of
material.
In his own words: Our home property encompasses about 5 acres of which
about 1 acre is garden. Another 2 acres is dedicated to growing Rhododendrons
from seed. I grow several hundred crosses from seed I have produced or purchased
from seed exchanges. Our garden contains some 400 species and hybrid Rhododendrons.
Our Rhododendron flowering season starts in January and runs until August or
September. I also collect Maples, Magnolias and other flowering trees. My Embothrium
flowered the last 2 years. A wide variety of herbaceous material fills any vacancies.
About 25 years ago, a friend gave me several flats of Pleione Orchids. This gift
expanded to fill a good sized shade house and we had one of the largest collections
of Pleione in the U.S. The Pleione will grow in our garden among the Rhododendrons
and have led me to other terrestrial Orchids. We now grow European native orchids
such as Dactylorhiza and Orchis and some of the Asian terrestrials including
Bletilla, Cypripedium & Cymbidium Orchids as well as North American Cypripedium.
I made a number of Pleione crosses over the years and have registered several
with the RHS.
Portland Chapter, American
Rhododendron Society Monthly Meeting,
January 17, 2008, 7:30 pm,
All Saints Episcopal Church, 4033 S.E. Woodstock