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Charles Owen Dexter (1862–1943) [1] was an American rhododendron hybridizer. Using the Chinese species Rhododendron fortunei, he produced hybrids characterized by dense foliage, large stature and flowers of superior size and color, many of which were also fragrant. Notable examples of his work include Scintillation, Betty Hume, Parker's Pink, GiGi, Mrs. W.R. Coe, Wheatley and Westbury.
Rhododendron is a genus of 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae), either evergreen or deciduous, and found mainly in Asia, although it is also widespread throughout the highlands of the Appalachian Mountains of North America. It is the national flower of Nepal as well as the state flower of West Virginia and Washington. Most species have brightly coloured flowers which bloom from late winter through to early summer.
In biology, a hybrid is the offspring resulting from combining the qualities of two organisms of different breeds, varieties, species or genera through sexual reproduction. Hybrids are not always intermediates between their parents, but can show hybrid vigour, sometimes growing larger or taller than either parent. The concept of a hybrid is interpreted differently in animal and plant breeding, where there is interest in the individual parentage. In genetics, attention is focused on the numbers of chromosomes. In taxonomy, a key question is how closely related the parent species are.
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia and the world's most populous country, with a population of around 1.404 billion. Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers (3,700,000 sq mi), it is the third- or fourth-largest country by total area. Governed by the Communist Party of China, the state exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four direct-controlled municipalities, and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
Between 1921 and 1943 Dexter carried on a massive breeding program at his 76-acre (310,000 m2) estate in Sandwich, Massachusetts. There he produced between 5,000 and 10,000 seedlings annually and gave thousands of plantings away to private gardens, nurseries and public botanical collections.
Sandwich is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, the oldest town on Cape Cod, turning 375 years old in 2014. The town motto is Post tot Naufracia Portus, "after so many shipwrecks, a haven". The population was 20,675 at the 2010 census.
Massachusetts, officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It borders on the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south, New Hampshire and Vermont to the north, and New York to the west. The state is named after the Massachusett tribe, which once inhabited the east side of the area, and is one of the original thirteen states. The capital of Massachusetts is Boston, which is also the most populous city in New England. Over 80% of Massachusetts's population lives in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, a region influential upon American history, academia, and industry. Originally dependent on agriculture, fishing and trade, Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution. During the 20th century, Massachusetts's economy shifted from manufacturing to services. Modern Massachusetts is a global leader in biotechnology, engineering, higher education, finance, and maritime trade.
His estate is now operated as the Heritage Museums and Gardens which contains plantings of 125 of the known 145 Dexter cultivars.
Heritage Museums and Gardens, formerly the Heritage Plantation of Sandwich, is located at 67 Grove Street, Sandwich, Massachusetts. The public garden, with its nationally significant collection of rhododendrons hybridized by Charles Dexter, over 1,000 varieties of daylilies and extensive hosta collection, is complemented by three gallery buildings containing a world-class collection of American automobiles, American folk art and a working 1919 carousel and rare carousel figures. Heritage is open April - October 7 days a week, and on weekend evenings between Thanksgiving and Christmas for its annual Gardens Aglow festival.
