Description
Description: Mary Fleming is a Rhododendron racemosum x keiskei cross introduced by Guy Nearing in l959. The leaves are small, approximately l inch in length, and quite pointed showing the ‘keiskei’ blood. These leaves also have a light bronze hue to them which is accentuated during the fall and winter months. The ‘keiskei’ parent must have been one of the low forms of ‘keiskei’ since the plant is a low mound, much broader than it is tall. The flowers are exceptional, a light yellow streaked with tinges of pink. The original plant which is planted below our kitchen window showed no damage during the tough winter of ’80 -’81 (lows of -18ºF) and it bloomed quite well the following spring. Since R. racemosum and keiskei are both quite tender, I’m surprised how hardy this variety is. Right now, along with ‘Windbeam’, it stands as my favorite small leafed rhododendron.
