I had a very small, dwarf, azalea or rhodie. Lost the tag, then lost the plant this past horrible winter. It had very small, distinctly rounded leaves, no more than 1/2 to 3/4 inch long. Definitely NOT pointed leaves, and was kind of twiggy looking. It was quite young, and it was evergreen. Got it originally for potential bonsai. I remember asking the vendor if it was hardy and she told me it was as hardy as they come, important because I was growing it on a balcony, not in a garden. Can anyone think of a plant that fits this description? I recall the name was a bit long. I don't think it sounded like a cultivar name and I'm reasonably sure it was not Japanese. From what I recall, I do think it was a latin name. Know for sure it was not a Satsuki azalea. I'm in zone 6 and it was sold to me by a local specialist nursery. Had I been planting it in the ground it would have been guaranteed. Sadly, the lady at the nursery has been ill, and I'm not able to get in touch with her to ask if she can recall what it might have been. Sure wish I hadn't lost that tag.
trying to remember a name
Do you remember what the bloom color was?
The one that comes to my mind first when one says round leaves that is hardy is Williamsianum. the third picture in this link is a pretty typical shape. the bloom color ranges from medium pink to white. http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=rhododendron%20williamsianum&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi
Thanks for that. The pics appear to be fairly similar to the one I'm talking about, but I don't recognize the name at all, and I think I would if I saw it again. I just have this feeling it started with an 'I', but it was definitely not a Japanese name. I'm sure of that because when I first went to this nursery, a Japanese hybrid was what I went looking for and she didn't have any. The blooms were either light purple or pink, I just can't remember now which it was. Never did get to see the plant in bloom so I'm just going on what I recall from what the vendor told me about it.. I believe she said it could have either colour and was herself not sure which one my plant would have.
So.... you think that it was a hybrid rhody with an american sounding name? probably light purple? To me williamsianum sounds american, but maybe not for you?
Either way, I can't think of a round leaved, lavender color, hybrid rhody that start with an "i" . I can think of some small leaved rhodies that are lavender and have american names such as ILam Violet. However, there are hybrids of williamsianum that have american names, but they're not lavender. They're mostly pink or white. Kimberly, whispering rose, kimbeth are a few. Anyhow, if it was a small leaved rhody, which still has a pointed leaf, and lavender in color.... there are many.
I don't think it was an American name, I think it was a Latin name, but I admit, it is hard to recall now. Having never seen it bloom, I can't be sure of the colour, only that I was told either pink or light purple. Not much help when there are so many rhodies. It didn't have pointed leaves, of that I am sure. They were rounded, more accurately, they were slightly oval perhaps, but no points on the ends.
I keep hoping I will run across the name again, because I think I'd recognize it if I saw it. Are there many species of rhodies ? I wonder if perhaps it was a species name, since they are always in Latin. I just don't know much about these plants, unfortunately. I heard once, somewhere, that people can recall anything they ever knew under hypnosis. Be an expensive way to find out, wouldn't it :-) ?
does the name Daphnoides sound familiar? It's a hybrid, but a latin sounding name. However williamsianum is really about the most rounded leaves of a hardy rhody.
There's not any that begin with "I" that I can think of with rounded leaves. There's also Oreotrophes and oreodoxa, but they're not as hardy as the others that I've mentioned.
Sadly, none of the names sound 'right' to me, but y'know, memory can play tricks on a person. Could be I am remembering it wrong. I'll just have to keep an eye out and hope one day to see it again, hopefully with a name tag attached. Thanks for trying, I appreciate it very much.
There are many AZ Kiusianum hybrids that sound like your plant. they are often used for Bonsai
But, kiusianum hybrids usually still have pointed leaves, right? they are very small leaves though.
I keep hoping I will see the name somewhere and it will trigger my memory. Kiusianum sounds similar but I still don't think that's it. And the leaves weren't pointed, for sure. Ah well, I sincerely appreciate everyone's efforts to help. It'll turn up one day, I just hope before I get too old to care :-).
I don't know why it took me so long to think to do this. But, here's a picture of the leaves of a williamsianum rhody. Maybe it will look familiar.
A latin name? Indictum maybe? R. indictum is a rhododendron sometimes used for bonsai. See the pictures in this link:
http://www.bonsailearningcenter.com/Gallery/gallery.htm
I really appreciate everyone trying to help. I've checked the pics of williamsianum, and that's not it, for sure. Leaves are too thick and too large. I was looking originally for a Satsuki hybrid, which is R. Indicum and there were none at the nursery where I got the plant. But I have to say, the leaves on the Satsuki plants on the bonsai site are MUCH more similar to the plant I had than anything else I've seen. Memory, which I must admit can play tricks on anyone, tells me that my plant's leaves were a bit rounder looking than the ones pictured on the bonsai site, but of course, it is difficult to tell exactly from the pic, especially without a reference, like a coin or something you'd put in a pic to help give perspective to the image.
It would have helped greatly if I'd ever seen mine bloom but sadly, I bought it after bloom time was over, and then it died before it had a chance to bloom for me. It was a very young plant, quite small and spindly, without a great number of leaves on it, but what leaves there were, best I can recall, were oval rather than round, certainly, but not pointed. They were very thin and soft, not at all waxy or leathery and were also slightly hairy. They resembled the leaves on the beautiful azalea plants one sees for sale every Mother's Day, among other holidays, but the leaves were a bit smaller and shorter than the ones on the plants I've seen in various nurseries and grocery stores. You know, I can SEE that blasted name tag in my mind, I just can't quite 'see' it, if you know what I mean :-). Boy this is frustrating. But thanks again, I really do appreciate the efforts to help me.