at the Atlantic Chapter in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Tuesday October 2, 2007.
http://picasaweb.google.com/SallyDPerkins/WestonHybridsAndMore
John Perkins
H: Saturday, September 29, 2007
Weston Lepidotes and More
Sally and John Perkins are speaking on Weston Lepidotes and More
at the Atlantic Chapter in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Tuesday October 2, 2007.
at the Atlantic Chapter in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Tuesday October 2, 2007.
ARS Mass. Chapter Garden Party Tomorrow
Reminder:
The Mass Chapter will hold our annual Fall Garden Party in the Display Garden at Elm Bank, Wellesley tomorrow (Sunday, 9/30) from 2:00 to 4:00 PM.
Come and enjoy the perennials in bloom, the fall rhodo foliage, light refreshments, and of course your fellow members.
Our guest will be Robert Feige, interim director of the Mass. Horticultural Society. He will speak at 2:30 on his ideas on the future of Elm Bank.
Joe Bruso
H: Thursday, September 20, 2007
ARSWRC: Grow, Try, Visit
Sally and John Perkins are speaking on Rhododendrons to Grow, Try, and Visit
at the ARS Western Regional Conference on Friday September 21, 2007.
at the ARS Western Regional Conference on Friday September 21, 2007.
http://picasaweb.google.com/SallyDPerkins/GrowTryAndVisit
Sally also gave a presentation on Rhododendrons for the Beginner and
Beyond at the ARS Massachusetts Chapter on Wednesday, September 20,
2007.
http://picasaweb.google.com/SallyDPerkins/RhododendronSpeciesForBeginners
Myth or Mistake: Rhododendrons, Honey, and Poison
"Xenophon's Anabasis viii 18-23
"All the soldiers who ate of the honeycombs lost their senses, and
were seized with vomiting and purging, none of them being able to
stand on their legs. Those who ate but a little were like men very
drunk, and those who ate much, like madmen and some like dying
persons. In this condition great numbers lay on the ground, as if
there had been a defeat, and the sorrow was general. The next day none
of them died, but recovered their senses about the same hour they were
seized. And the third day they got up as if they had taken a strong
potion."
Pliny the Elder's Natural History Book 21 xlv 77-
(My rough translation): "Another kind in this same area of the
Pontus, by the tribe of the Sanni, a honey which they call
'maenomenon' from the insanity which it produces. This is thought to
be collected from the flower of the 'rhododendron', with which the
woods abound. The tribe does not sell the honey, because it is toxic,
when they would present the wax in tribute to the Romans."
The key words are 'maenomenon', which is just Pliny's transliteration
of the Greek word, and is a participle modifying the word honey and
meaning 'making mad'. Lewis & Short, the definitive Latin
dictionary, translates 'rhododendron' as Nerium oleander, 'rosebay'
or, or possibly rhododendron or azalea. Liddell & Scott, Greek
Lexicon, translates the original Greek 'rhododendron' as the
equivalent of 'rhododaphne', the oleander --no azaleas or
rhododendrons. The word itself just means 'rose tree' or 'reddish
tree'.
So ancient botany is pretty murky and this whole discussion is a
series of interpretations of a pretty vague original Greek story from
400BC, interpreted (with who knows what other sources no longer
extant) 450 years later by a Roman, and then retold and reinterpreted
endlessly until now. Since Nerium, R. ponticum and R. luteum are all
common in the Pontus, any of them could be a source of toxic honey.
And Xenophon himself was only guessing that the honey accidentally
made his soldiers sick. Deliberate poisoning of the honey left in
quantity in the abandoned villages is quite possible, as was suspected
400 years later when Pompey's soldiers were not only poisoned but
massacred while sick. Why would the predecessors of the 'Sanni',
whoever they are, have been unaware that their honey was toxic, but
collected it for consumption anyway? Sounds like very bad beekeeping.
It seems the Sanni knew their honey was toxic, but collected it for
the beeswax only, which they paid in tribute to the Romans. Probably
their ancestors extracted the beeswax and kept the honey to refeed
their bees, as some modern beekeepers do whose bees feed on Kalmia
latifolia. Perhaps the Greeks didn't know that and got poisoned.
As evidence of toxicity of the honey of R. ponticum, these old
accounts are interesting stories but hardly conclusive evidence.
Trying to determine the identity of plants mentioned in classical
accounts is a remarkably difficult task on the whole.
Susan Clark
H: Saturday, September 15, 2007
Rhododendron Propagation Group Forming
Propagation Group Forming
A new special interest group is forming within the Mass Chapter, called the Propagation Group. It will be similar in some ways to two previously active groups: the Rhododendron Propagation Group, and the Species Study Group. It will focus primarily, but not necessarily exclusively on growing rhododendrons from seed. Other genera (e.g., magnolias), other methods (e.g., cuttings) and other activities (e.g., hybridizing) are other possible topics of discussion and activity, but the primary focus will be on growing rhododendrons from seed. The group will meet once a month or so at a day and time to be determined by the group.
The purposes of this group are to share information, experiences, seeds and plants. The focus will be on growing rhododendrons from seed. One pinch of rhododendron seed can produce enough plants to populate half the average sized garden. By combining resources, we will reduce the work and increase the variety of plants available to each of us. Group orders of seeds (and plants) are a possibility.
All ARS members are welcome, whether you have never seen a rhododendron seed, or you have been growing from seed all your life. No one should feel that they don't know enough to join this group, as we will be starting with the basics. The group will be designed to support and learn from one another. Conversely, those who are more experienced will benefit from access to seeds and plant material perhaps not easily available, as well as the camaraderie of people with the same interests. Experienced people will be asked to present to the group, sharing their hard-won knowledge.
If you have never tried it, you will be surprised at how easy it is. It is possible to get blooms in as little as 2 years on some types. There is nothing like seeing blooms for the first time on rhododendrons you have grown from seed!
My interest is in species rhododendrons and primary crosses, especially those with indumentum or otherwise outstanding foliage. Others will have a different focus – creating a hardy yellow, growing 50 Rhododendron maximums to line their driveway, rock garden-sized plants, etc. All interests can be accommodated.
Why grow from seed?
· It is easy to do, requiring little equipment & materials, most/all of which members already have.
· You can grow special plants not available by any other means.
· You can develop something new and unique – perhaps worthy of registration.
· You can grow lots of plants very cheaply – to fill your garden, share with friends, etc.
· It is so much fun, it is often addictive!
I'll be giving a brief presentation regarding this group at our September chapter meeting.
If you are interested in joining, or want more information, please e-mail or call me, or talk to me at the September 19 Chapter meeting.
The kickoff meeting will be held at my house Tuesday, October 9,
Joe Bruso
Home Tel: 508-435-8217
Mass. Chapter ARS Announcements
Hope you all enjoyed summer, and that your gardens have survived the recent drought. Thankfully, the drought seems to have come to an end.
Announcements:
Chapter Meeting: Next week marks the beginning of our chapter's program year. Our first meeting is at the Waltham Field Station, Wednesday, September 19,
Donated Plant
Please bring your extra rhododendrons, and dig up some perennial divisions or volunteers that others will appreciate. Those that have volunteered to grow-on P4M plants, please bring a few to this sale.
Propagation Group: I'm organizing a new group whose activities will center on propagating rhododendrons from seed. Details will go out in a separate e-mail. I'll also give a brief presentation at next week's chapter meeting.
Correction: The P4M group will NOT meet on September 29, as listed in the back of the latest Newsletter.
E-mail Updates: Please remember to send me your new e-mail address, should it change. We expect that this mode of communication will become increasingly important in the future, as it will allow more timely contacts, and reduce our chapter's costs.
Joe Bruso
508-435-8217
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