Pukeiti

Family: Ericaceae (Heath)

Comments: Foliage: As young plants they have impressive dark green leaves up to 70cm long, with silvery-fawn undersides after a few years.
Flowers: First flowering of these seedlings was 21 years after sowing and produced a large truss of 20 cream flowers with a slight basal blotch from pale pink buds. Another plant flowered several years later and produced stunning deep pink buds opening to trusses of 22-25 bright pink flowers with a red stigma-style - this one was given the name of R. 'Jack Anderson'. Flowering is in early spring (September), and the flowers last for at least a month.
History: This was a deliberate cross by Graham Smith, at Pukeiti, to assess the likely parents of some plants grown at Pukeiti from seed. Pollen from the best yellow R. macabeanum (from Felix Jury's garden) was chosen to cross with the deepest purple-pink R. magnificum.