One of the earliest blooming rhododendrons in Laurelwood Arboretum is ‘Cornell Pink’ which is known as a truly pink form of R. mucronulatum.
The species R. mucronulatum has flowers that appear in late winter or early spring often on the bare branches before the foliage unfurls. Its native geographic region is Korea, China, and Japan. The photo at the right shows ‘Cornell Pink’ in bloom. Its usual bloom time is late March to early April in Laurelwood depending on weather conditions. There are several ‘Cornell Pink’ and mucronulatum species in the arboretum. The one in the photo is more than 60 years old. It is encased in netting to protect it from deer browsing.
‘Cornell Pink’ was created (pre-1958) by Dr. Henry T. Skinner from a
‘Cornell Pink’ Rhododendron
Corner of Brook Road and Hickory Hill
selection of mucronulatum to create its true pink color. Born in Kent, England, he was among the specialists in native Eastern rhododendrons and azaleas. He received his B.A. and Master of Science degrees from Cornell University in Horticulture where he also served as an instructor of horticulture from 1931-1940. He earned his Doctoral degree in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Skinner completed his career as the Director of the National Arboretum for 20 years.
Another renowned hybridizer, Edmund Mezitt, used ‘Cornell Pink’ in 1958 as a parent for his creation of “Llenroc’ which is another mucronulatum known for its pink flowers with a yellow blotch in a dome-shaped truss of about four flowers. There are several ‘Llenroc’ rhododendrons along the brook in the arboretum. Interestingly, the name ‘Llenroc’ is Cornell spelled backwards.