PJM Rhododendron

Here's another iPhone shot of a Central Park plant taken on a run this week: Rhododendron 'PJM' group.   I say "group" because the specimen below is a PJM type of cultivar, but I can't fathom which specific cultivar it is.  PJMs are crosses between R. carolinianum and R. dauricum var. sempervirens.  They are named for Peter J. Mezitt, founder of Weston Nurseries in Massachussetts.

 

PJM Rhodis have much smaller leaves than R. maximum or R. catawbiense, two other popular species.  The flowers are a bit smaller, too and don't bloom in umbels.  Some cultivars, like this one, turn a bronzy purple in winter. 

The plant typically blooms in spring but many of these group will bloom again in late fall.  I've seen cultivars of PJMs bloom almost all winter, though in less profusion.  Overall, the plant may remind you more of an Azalea-type Rhododendron, but if you count the stamens on this flower, you will see there are ten; Azaleas have five stamens.