Six new rhododendron varieties have been created in our nursery

The UL Experimental Rhododendron Breeding Nursery "Babīte" (ERBN "Babīte") celebrated its fortieth anniversary this year. In honor of this event, one of the varieties has been given the name Babītei 40. It is a hardy, abundantly flowering elepidote rhododendron with purple flowers and dense, slightly conical truss. It blooms in late May – early June. The flowers are characterized by wrinkled petal borders, but the upper petals have a pronounced, yellow-green spot on a light background. The thick bush grows 1.3 m high and 2 m wide in twelve years. The breeder is G. Riekstiņa.

Lielais Kristaps is an elepidote, large shrub that can grow 3.5 m high and 3.8 m wide in twenty-four years. Bright purple flowers with decorative, white anthers open in late May – early June. The breed is dedicated to Kristaps Kunrads, the head of the ERBN "Babīte", who has been working in the nursery since 2017. The breeder is R. Kondratovičs.

The variety Arvīds is an elepidote rhododendron with purple round flowers that blooms in late May – early June. The edges of the petals are curled and there is a yellow-green spots on the upper lobes. In twenty years, the bush reaches a height of 2.2 m and a width of 2.5 m. The variety is named after Arvīds Badūns, the ERBN "Babīte" research assistant. The breeder is R. Kondratovičs.

The elepidote rhododendron Babītes Mārtiņš grows 1.2 m high and 1.3 m wide in twelve years. It blooms in late May – early June with purple flowers and dense truss. The flowers are characterized by wrinkled petal edges, and the upper petal is decorated with yellow-green spots on a lighter area on the upper lobes. The name is dedicated to the ERBN "Babīte" marketing and sales specialist Mārtiņš Orlovskis. The breeder is G. Riekstiņa.

Babītes Maija is a variety of elepidote rhododendrons with large, white flowers, curled petal edges and decorative, green spots on the upper lobes. At the end of May, the blooming flowers have a pleasant aroma. In twenty-five years, the shrub grows 2.7 m high and 3 m wide. The breed is dedicated to Maija Veinberga, agronomist of the ERBN "Babīte". The breeder is R. Kondratovičs.

The new deciduous rhododendron variety Madara blooms in late May – early June. It is characterized by ball truss and double, white flowers with a bright yellow blotch on the upper lobes. In nineteen years, the bush grows 1.9 m high and 2.3 m wide. The variety is named after Madara Bahmane, agronomist at the ERBN "Babīte". The breeder is R. Kondratovičs.

During its forty years of work, the ERBN "Babīte" of the University of Latvia has become an internationally known center for the introduction and selection of rhododendrons. During these years, the collection includes 413 different wild species and varieties of rhododendrons, as well as 126 new varieties. The nursery is also popular with tourists. This year, during the flowering season – in late May and early June – more than 36,000 people have visited us.