‘Hyatt's Sprite’ [Stewart]


‘Hyatt's Sprite’ [Stewart]

Photo © Carolyn Beck

Cultivar: Group: Color: Blooms: Type: Reg Ref:
‘Hyatt's Sprite’ Stewart Pink,White Early Midseason Evergreen
Height: Width: Hardy: Other Name(s): Seed Parent: Pollen Parent:
3½' 4' Zone 7 'Desiree’, Shamarello x CB #1, unnamed hybrid raised by Cliff Brown 'Florence Waldman', Roslyn
3½’ tall x 4’ wide with an intermediate habit. Flowers variable: 1) White with varying amounts of Deep Pink (52B = salmon-red) and Strong Pink (52D = yellowish-pink) sectors, stripes, lines, and dashes; 2) Strong Pink (lighter than 52D) with Deep Pink (52B) stripes, lines, and dashes, irregular white margins; 3) Vivid Red (52A = salmon-red) selfs. Blotch is faint yellow-green on the white fields and Strong Purplish-Red (61B) on the darker backgrounds. Semidouble with up to 10 petals (5 + 5), funnel-shaped with rounded, overlapping lobes and wavy edges, 3¾” wide x 2½” long, 2-3 per cluster. Blooms early-midseason (late April to early May in Oak Hill, VA). Calyx Moderate Yellow-Green (138B), ½” long. Foliage Strong Yellow Green (143A), matte Leaf shape: elliptic with a cuneate base and broadly acute tip, concave side to side. downcurved base to tip, up to 2” long x 3/4” wide. Selection number: RBS 56. Breeder code: #11-94-09. Cross: ('Desiree’, Shamarello x CB #1, unnamed hybrid raised by Cliff Brown) x ‘Florence Waldman’, Roslyn.

Named for Donald (Don) W. Hyatt, who has been an ASA member since 1977. He has served at the national level as a Director, and in the Northern Virginia Chapter, as President and Vice President. His passion for plants began at age 3 and his garden has shown the impact of his degree in horticulture. His enthusiasm for azaleas, both evergreen and deciduous, has xxx him to travel extensively, both in the United States and worldwide. He has a long history of journeying through the mountains of our southeast studying native azaleas and helping others to appreciate their beauty. Don is best known by many for his informative and humorous presentations and his many articles in The Azalean. Don’s photography skills are impressive, owing in large part to his artistic talents, and he has frequently shared his images. He was a key figure in the effort to save the Glenn Dales at the National Arboretum, and played an important role in the establishment of the Marshy Point Legacy Project at London Town Gardens. For his long-standing contributions, Don was presented the Frederic P. Lee Commendation in 2001 by the Brookside Gardens Chapter, and the ASA Distinguished Service Award in 2009.