Life

Veteran grower to present rhododendron program

Grower Ray Head will speak about lesser-known variety lepidote rhododendron. which has minute scales on the leaves and smaller leaves.

By Bill Moss, Published: February 11, 2013

Ray Head, an award-winning rhododendron grower and longtime member the Southeastern Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society in 1977, will present the program "Lepidote Rhododendrons: Good plants for the Southeast" at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at St. John in the Wilderness Parish Hall in Flat Rock.

Ray HeadHead plans to cover native range, good growing conditions, flower color, plant size, species selections, and hybrid cultivars and will provide a list of nurseries that sell these plants. Dr. Jackson McCarter, also an avid rhododendron gardener, will illustrate the program.
Head, of Rutherfordton, is well known for his own garden of hollies, rhododendrons and azaleas. He grew up on a family farm in the 1950s, and was influenced at an early age by his grandmother's love of gardening. He often shares some of his beautiful lepidote rhododendrons at spring meetings of the Southeastern Chapter when they are in bloom.
Rhododendrons are divided into two categories: lepidote and elipidote. The lesser-known lepidote rhododendron have minute scales on the leaves and are generally the small-leaved species. Elepidote rhododendrons are generally large-leaved and commonly seen all around western North Carolina in the wild and in many yards.
After studying engineering at North Carolina State University, Head began a 36-year career with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and always gardened on the side.
He joined the Southeastern Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society in 1977. Ray has served as President, Vice President, Truss Show Chairman, Chairman of the Show Awards and District Director and is currently a board member. He was awarded the Bronze Medal in 1990, the President's Award in 2004 and 2008. Ray also belongs to the Vaseyi Chapter of the Azalea Society of America.
Ray also has served as Administrative Vice-president, President and on the board of directors for the National Holly Society of America, and as President of the local Harry Logan, Carolinas Chapter.

For more information on the program call 828.696.2996.