As the “garden variety” rhododendrons are a bit past “peak” bloom and winding down, the native Rhododendron maximus found in Fitzwilliam, N H are still almost a month away from full bloom. It will by no means be a banner year for the blooms at the grove, but still a pretty good show. Starting about the second week in July and (depending on the weather) lasting a week or two, the flowers will be out in fu
Author: Ted Lenk
Ted Lenk is an NH State Park Volunteer who checks in regularly at Rhododendron State Park.
Rhododendron Bloom Report: July 29, 2021
It is still worth a trip to Rhododendron State Park to see the blooming Rhodo’s this weekend. There are a good number of flowers still out, and even a few that are just now opening. The majority of this year’s flowers, however, are spent and fallen to the ground.
Rhododendron Bloom Report: July 23, 2021
As you can see from the pictures taken today, the show is still on at the grove in Fitzwilliam. Perhaps the cool wet July weather has extended the bloom time. Or not. This year has been showier than most. That being said, the main event is almost over. This weekend will be the last good one, but there will still be a few flowers to see by mid August.
Rhododendron Bloom Report: July 16, 2021
As can be seen in the photos from today, this week is about as good as it is going to get this year. We are right at “peak” bloom here at Rhododendron State Park in Fitzwilliam, NH.
Rhododendron Bloom Report: July 8, 2021
Some flowers are out, and in some of the sunnier areas a lot of them are out. With all this rain and cooler temps, they will theoretically last a day or two longer, and by the middle of next week most should be out. Both this weekend and next weekend (7/17-18)will be good for viewing.
Rhododendron Bloom Report: July 2, 2021
The hot weather we had during the last week or so seems to have sped up the process a little, but it still looks like mid-July will be “peak” bloom. As I have said before, the blooming period for these Rhododendrons starts towards the beginning of July and extends sometimes to mid August, so if you do not get there exactly on July 15, you won’t miss it.
Rhododendron Bloom Report: June 24, 2021
As is usual, no big surprises this week at the grove. An early morning visit was relatively bug free, but they are thick enough. It is June, after all. A few mushrooms to be seen here and there, and a little bit of moisture in the drainage areas this week. A sign of the rains that we had, but still a long way to go before it is still not too dry.
Rhododendron Bloom Report: June 17, 2021
One thing that sets this species apart from the more common cultivars is the extended season of blooming. Each cluster of flowers will last 2-3 weeks depending on the weather, but some clusters will come out earlier, and some will wait until early August before they open.
Rhododendron Bloom Report: June 10, 2021
No big changes are evident on the Rhododendron front at the grove in Fitzwilliam. They are a native species (Rhododendron maximus) that will not start to bloom for another 2-3 weeks or so. For anybody who follows this blog, this is not anything new. The “peak” bloom normally happens around July 15 or so. So far, it does not look any different this year, but we will wait and see, eh?
Rhododendron Bloom Report: June 3, 2021
A few commonly seen wildflowers are visible in the grove this week, but the Rhododendron maximus blossoms are not due for another 3 or 4 weeks. The leaf buds are beginning to grow out, but the flower buds are still pretty tightly wrapped up.