Academic Centre
'ADA LAVLEISA'
♀ 'Nova Zembla’ x ♂ ‘Panenka’ 1985 cross, selected in 1995, registered in 2019. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May, early June. Growth is wide bushy. At 14 years, the bush is 1.6 m high, 1.8 m wide.
Winter hardiness is very good. The variety is suitable for cultivation throughout Latvia.
'AGRIS'
The variety was created from 1981 open-pollinated seedlings of Carolina rhododendron (Rh. carolinianum Rehd.). The variety was selected in 1991, registered in 2005. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms early, in the first half of May, very abundantly. Plant habitus is broadly bushy. Twenty-year-old bushes are 2 m high and 2.4 m wide.
Winter-hardy variety in Latvian conditions, useful for cultivation throughout the country.
'AIVARS LASIS'
The variety was created by crossing ♀ ‘Dace’ x ♂ ‘Purple Splendour’. The crossing was carried out in 1974. The variety was selected in 1984, registered in 2009. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May, early June. Blooms very abundantly. The variety forms an upright bush. Twenty-year-old plants 2.5 m high, 2.3 m wide.
Winter-hardy variety. Suitable for cultivation throughout the territory of Latvia.
'ALDONIS VĒRIŅŠ'
The variety was created in 1987 from open-pollinated seed plants of the variety 'Nova Zembla'. The variety was selected in 1993, registered in 2015. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May, early June. Growth is bushy, symmetrical. 10-year-old bush 1.7 m high and 1.7 m wide.
Winter-hardy variety. Useful for cultivation throughout Latvia.
'ALEKSANDRA DANIELA ĀBELE'
The variety was obtained in 2005 by crossing ♀R74-085/14 (‘Catawbiense Grandiflorum’ x Rh. yakushimanum ‘Koichiro Wada’) x ♂’Elizabeth’. Selected in 2014. Registered in the International Rhododendron Register in 2022. Breeder Gunita Riekstiņa. Created by order of entrepreneur Jurģis Ābele.
Blooms in May, early June. The variety is characterized by purple-pink funnel-shaped flowers and a compact, densely branched growth. At sixteen years, the bush is 1.3 m high and 1.4 m wide.
Recommended for cultivation in the central and western parts of Latvia.
'ALMA MATER'
The variety was created by crossing ♀ ‘Catawbiense Grandiflorum’ x ♂ ‘Mrs. P. D. Williams’. Crossbreeding in 1973. The variety was selected in 1983, registered in 2003. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May, early June, very abundantly. The variety forms a symmetrical shape. Twenty-year-old bushes reach a height of 2.5 m and a width of 2.3 m.
Winter-hardy variety. Recommended for cultivation in central Latvia and along the coast of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga.
'ANDRIS'
The variety was created by crossing ♀ ‘Catawbiense Grandiflorum’ x ♂ Rh. yakushimanum Nakai ‘Koichiro Wada’. Crossbreeding from 1974. Selected in 1980, registered in 2010. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May, early June. The cultivar forms a wide, compact, densely branched bush. Twenty-year-old plants 1.9 m high, 2.5 m wide. No pruning required.
Very good winter hardiness, suitable for cultivation throughout Latvia.
'ARVĪDS'
♀ R74-128/2 1983 seedling. Selected in 1998, registered in 2020. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May, early June. Growth is broad-bush-like. In twenty years, the bush is 2.2 m high, 2.5 m wide.
Winter-hardy variety. Suitable for cultivation throughout Latvia.
'ATIS'
The variety was created from the 1957 open-pollinated seedlings of 'Catawbiense Grandiflorum'. Selected in 1967, registered in 2009. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May, early June. Forms a wide bush. Twenty-year-old plants 2.5 m high.
Completely winter-hardy variety. Suitable for cultivation throughout the territory of Latvia.
'ĀBEĻZIEDS'
'BABĪTEI 40'
♀ 'Sprīdītis’ x ♂ ‘Erato’ 2007 cross, selected in 2014, registered in 2020. Breeder Gunita Riekstiņa.
Blooms in late May, early June. Forms a wide bush. In twelve years, the plants are 1.3 m high.
Completely winter-hardy variety. Suitable for cultivation throughout the territory of Latvia.
'BABĪTES AIGA'
The variety was created from open-pollinated seedlings of the variety ♀ 'Catawbiense Grandiflorum' in 1971. Selected in 1977, registered in 2015. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in early June. The growth is narrowly bushy. 20-year-old bush 2.4 m high and 2 m wide.
Very good winter hardiness. Suitable for cultivation throughout the territory of Latvia.
'BABĪTES ANTONS'
The variety was created by crossing ♀ 'Cunningham’s White' x ♂ 'Elizabeth'. The crossing was carried out in 1974. The variety was selected in 1980, registered in 2014. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May. A second flowering is observed in warm and humid autumns. The plant is compact, densely branched, broadly bushy. 25-year-old bushes 1.8 m high and 2 m wide.
Winter-hardy variety, useful for cultivation throughout Latvia.
'BABĪTES BALTAIS'
The variety was created by crossing ♀ ‘Cunningham’s White’ x ♂ ‘Elizabeth’. Crossbreeding in 1974. The variety was selected in 1983, registered in 2003. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May, early June. Strongly growing shrub. Twenty-year-old bushes reach 3 m in height and 4 m in width.
The variety has good winter hardiness. Recommended for cultivation in the central and western parts of Latvia.
'BABĪTES ELITA'
Rhododendron brachycarpum D. Don ex G. Don seedling, obtained in 2000. The variety was selected in 2004, registered in 2014. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in early June. The growth is bushy, compact, densely branched. In 20 years the bush reaches 3 m in height and 3 m in width.
The variety is characterized by good winter hardiness. Suitable for cultivation throughout the territory of Latvia.
'BABĪTES GINTA'
The variety was created from the 1965 open-pollinated seedlings of ‘Catawbiense Grandiflorum’. The variety was selected in 1975, registered in 2001. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May, first half of June. The variety forms a symmetrical, compact bush. Twenty-year-old plants 2 m high and 2 m wide.
Good winter hardiness in moderate winters, but leaves suffer slightly in very low temperatures. Suitable for cultivation in the central part of Latvia and on the coast along the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga.
'BABĪTES KOMPAKTAIS'
The variety was created as a bud mutant of the variety ‘Nova Zembla’, which arose by propagating ‘Nova Zembla’ in vitro. Selected in 1997, registered in 2012. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in early June. The variety is characterized by a low, compact growth, which is very different from ‘Nova Zembla’. The growth is broadly bushy. 15-year-old plants reach a height of 60 cm and a width of 100 cm.
The variety is winter-hardy, suitable for cultivation throughout the territory of Latvia.
'BABĪTES KRISTĪNE'
The variety was created from 1974 free-pollinated seedlings of the Rh. discolor Franch. The variety was selected in 1982, registered in 2003. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in mid- or second half of May. Twenty-year-old shrubs 2 m high and 2 m wide. The bracts of young shoots are dark red, which gives the bush a special decorative effect in spring.
The variety has good winter hardiness.
'BABĪTES LAVANDA'
The variety was created from the 1965 open-pollinated seedlings of 'Catawbiense Grandiflorum'. The variety was selected in 1979, registered in 2000. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May, first half of June, very abundantly. Forms a symmetrical, compact bush. Twenty-year-old bushes 2 m high and 2 m wide.
Completely winter-hardy variety. Useful for cultivation throughout the territory of Latvia.
'BABĪTES MAIJA'
♀ 'Babītes Kristīne' 1995 seedling. Selected in 2007, registered in 2020. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May. Growth is broadly bushy. In twenty-five years, the bush is 2.7 m high, 3 m wide.
Medium winter-hardy variety. Suitable for cultivation in the central and western parts of Latvia.
'BABĪTES MĀRTIŅŠ'
The variety was created by crossing ♀ ‘Sprīdītis’ x ♂ ‘Eduards Smiļģis’. The crossing was carried out in 2007. The variety was selected in 2014, registered in 2020. Breeder Gunita Riekstiņa.
Blooms in late May, early June. Growth is wide-bush-like. Twelve-year-old bushes 1.2 m high, 1.3 m wide.
Winter-hardy variety, useful for cultivation throughout the territory of Latvia.
'BABĪTES SARKANAIS'
The variety was created from the cross ♀ ‘Catawbiense Grandiflorum’ x ♂ ‘Scandinavia’. The cross was made in 1976. The variety was selected in 1993, registered in 2010. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in early June. The growth is wide-bush-like. 20-year-old bushes 1.8 m high and 2 m wide.
In very harsh winters, flower buds and partly also leaves suffer. Due to the relatively weak winter hardiness, the variety is suitable for cultivation in the western part of Latvia.
'BAIBA ĀBELE'
The variety was created in 2005 by crossing ♀R74-085/14 (‘Catawbiense Grandiflorum’ x Rh. yakushimanum ‘Koichiro Wada’) x ♂’Elizabeth’. Released in 2015. Registered in the International Rhododendron Register in 2022. Breeder Gunita Riekstiņa. Created by order of entrepreneur Jurģis Ābele.
Blooms in late May, early June with white flowers with ruffled petal edges. Buds turn pink when blooming. At sixteen years, the bush is 1.5 m high and 1.3 m wide.
Recommended for cultivation in the central and western parts of Latvia.
'BALTIJA'
The variety is ♀ Rh. discolor 1982. seedling, selected in 2000, registered in 2016. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May. The variety is characterized by a strong growth, densely branched bush. 25-year-old bush 4 m high, 3 m wide.
Good winter hardiness, flower buds may suffer in harsher winters. The variety is suitable for cultivation in the central and western parts of Latvia.
'BIRUTA'
The variety was created from the cross ♀ ‘Nova Zembla’ x ♂ ‘Panenka’. The cross was made in 1985. The variety was selected in 1995, registered in 2010. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May and early June. The variety forms a wide bush. In 25 years it reaches 3 m in height and 4 m in width.
The variety has good winter hardiness. Suitable for planting in the western and central parts of Latvia.
'BRUNO ĀBELE'
The variety was obtained in 2008 by crossing ♀’Mary Kittel’ x ♂’Elza Radziņa’. Selected in 2014. Registered in the International Rhododendron Varieties Register in 2022. Breeder Gunita Riekstiņa. Created by order of entrepreneur Jurģis Ābele.
Blooms in the second half of May, early June. The variety is characterized by a wide bush with large leaves, large, light purple flowers with pronounced yellow-green spots on the upper petals. At thirteen years, the bush is 1.4 m high and 1.7 m wide.
Winter hardiness is very good.
'BULDURI'
The variety was created by crossing ♀ ‘Babītes Lavanda’ x ♂ ‘Marka’. The crossing was carried out in 1985. The variety was selected in 1991, registered in 2012. Breeder Rihards Kondratovičs.
Blooms in late May, early June. Forms a symmetrical bushy growth. 25-year-old bushes 3 m high and 3 m wide.
The variety has very good winter hardiness, it is suitable for cultivation throughout the territory of Latvia.