I have been seriously considering Mi Amor for a long time, but have not been able to squeeze it in my garden. It belongs to the Maddenii group that all have fragrant flowers. Did you get yours from Berkeley Horticultural Nursery? They usually have a very good selection. According to the following link, the most fragrant Maddenii rhododendron is R. McNabii, with a scent diameter of over 100 feet.

For winter fragrance, I have a Lonicera fragrantissima coming to bloom right now and it smells exactly like Daphne odora, which is also blooming. It is a good alternative for people who like Daphne odora but just have a hard time keeping it alive.

Here is a link that might be useful: click 'Rhododendron' then 'Search for specifc type' then 'Fragrant'

Daphne odora has a sweeter, less fruity smell than the lonicera I'd say. I'm not sure whether the Maddenii group entirely consists of fragrant rhododendrons as the valentianum doesn't have any mention of fragrance. Apparently the fragrantissimum is the most fragrant rhododendron, but there are so many other strongly fragrant hybrids it's difficult to tell. One thing I didn't realise before looking up some fragrant rhododendrons was that some of them are actually epiphytic.

Daxin, You are right on. Yes it is from Berkeley. Thanks to both of you for the inf. It seems that I need to go a nursery to smell R. fragrantissimum. Don't worry I am not addicting to Rhodis.

'Mi Amor' is a Rhododendron nuttallii hybrid. The huge fragrant trumpets and heavy foliage is gotten from this distinctive species. I first saw it when I was enthused about rhododendrons in the 70s.

It probably doesn't have much frost tolerance, R. nuttallii tends to be quite tender.

A note from the old country! At the National Trust for Scotland's Arduaine Garden on the west coast of Argyll we have a huge collection of Maddenia rhododendrons, just about all of the species and many, many hybrids, flourishing in our moist and mild climate. One of the more recent is Rh. fleuryi, from Vietnam, quite happy here.

'Mi Amor' has been out since 2000, never damaged though it has taken -7 or -8C without a mark. The flowers are huge and powerfully fragrant - the buds are spectacular too, alomost like cones. We have many of the old UK hybrids and quite a few of the more recent ones from your side of the Atlantic, such as 'Mysterious Maddenii' and others.

April and May here is a feast of fragrant rhododendrons as well as much else. Come and visit if you're over!

All the best,

Maurice.

I first encountered "Mi Amor" Rhododendron at the USGS Menlo Park campus on Middlefield Rd. and fell for it as it bloomed. I took a picture of it and hoped to find it somewhere. I am living in the Seattle area and we have room for it. I also have a pool house that is warm all winter and gets light through the skylights. I would love to buy a large pot of it or any size to see the blooms in a year or so.