Azalea 'WESTON'S SPARKLER'

There are not many professional growers that would dedicate their time and money to crossbreeding interesting rhododendron and azalea species. It has mostly been the domain of enthusiastic amateurs or freelance botanists. The exception confirming the rule, apart from our well-known German nursery H.Hachmann, is the American company Weston Nurseries. It was founded in 1923 by Peter J. Mezitt, the son of Latvian farmers, who managed to escape Russian recruiters and left Europe for the USA, where he experienced the American dream. He worked as an estate gardener, earned a degree and married a woman who enthusiastically shared his passion for plants, so together they founded a nursery that still operates today. Next to their extensive work on crossbreeding rhododendrons they hybridize deciduous azaleas from the viscosum group (swamp azalea) which bloom late and have a distinct and sweet smell.

Weston’s Sparkler, registered only as Sparkler, is one of those successful swamp azalea hybrids bred by the Mezitt family. It is a cross between a. viscosa and a pink-flowered form a. arborescens. It bears approx. 4 cm wide, single, pastel pink flowers. They stand out for their strong and sweet scent and very late flowering from the end of June to July. Deciduous leaves are broadly elliptic to rounded, dark green, slightly glossy and turn bright maroon in autumn. They are very resistant to powdery mildew. The plant grows rather slowly and densely into a compact shrub of almost equal height and width.

Swamp azaleas love damp soil and plenty of sun. The roots are shallow, spreading to sides in search for nutrients. Never plant them too deep. The soil has to be acidic (pH 4.5-5.5), rich in humus, cool and always moist. Ideal soil mixture is peat with lime-free, light garden soil topped with leaf-mould. For a nicer looking plant dead-head where possible. Hardy to about -34 °C (USDA zone 4).

Last update 21-01-2024