Good Doer Rhododendrons

The Dexter Rhododnedrons and Their Descendants

Charles Owen Dexter was one of the first east coast gardeners to start a massive rhododendron breeding program. Retiring from the textile industry in 1921 due to poor health, he started raising many rhododendrons from seed. His health improved and he continued his hybridizing until his death in 1943 at the age of 81. Charles Dexter raised thousands of plants at his Heritage Plantation on Cape Cod, and since then other hybridizers have used some of his plants to continue breeding new varieties. Only recently have many of the Dexters made it to commercial markets. The Dexter hybrids are proving to among the best rhododendrons for the Middle Atlantic region.


GiGi My favorite Rose Red	Scintillation The most widely grown Dexter in the Middle Atlantic region	Tom Everett A superb lavender pink

Wheatley A Second Generation Dexter by Howard Phipps My favorite pink!	Janet Blair A Dexter derivative from Dr. David Leach

Some Other Favorite Dexters

Bell Ringer - Creamy white Dexter derivative from Tony Consolini, very rugged with dark green foliage. One of my best doers.
Parker's Pink - Bicolor pink with bronze throat. Excellent!
Great Eastern - Similar to Scintillation, but slightly later and can take full sun.
Todmorden - Bicolor with rose edge and white center. Seems to need sun to bud up well.
Betty Hume - Huge pale pink
Dexter's Spice - Huge fragrant white
Apritan - Fragrant apricot blush with large flowers, also known as Dexter's Honeydew

Reliable Rhododendrons for the Middle Atlantic Region

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