Flowers of Rubus spectabilis Double-Flowered Group
Updated in 2017: after much discussion, we’ve opted to change the name on this entity to Rubus spectabilis Double-Flowered Group from its previous name of Rubus spectabilis ‘Olympic Double’ (and, prior to that, Rubus spectabilis ‘Flore Pleno’, a name often used to denote double-flowering forms of plants).
Our rationale? There are at least three known double-flowered salmonberries in written / oral records: one from Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, one from the mountains north of Vancouver, BC (encountered in the early 20th century by Phyllis Munday–this is almost certainly the source plant for the above image, and known for many years as ‘Flore Pleno’), and one from Vancouver Island somewhere in the Cowichan Valley area.
Without doing a side-by-side examination of all three, it is first safest to deem all of these as part of a double-flowered group to begin with. The Vancouver-area clone was given the name ‘Flore Pleno’, but the question then becomes whether that name was given after 1959 (in which case it is invalid due to being a Latinized cultivar name, according to the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants). The earliest record I can find is this 1977 photograph labeled as such, so unless an earlier record can be found, it reverts to being unnamed (and hence Rubus spectabilis Double-Flowered Group).
As Rodger Whitlock explains in the comments section below, the Washington entity was first listed in a catalogue as Rubus spectabilis ‘Olympic’, not ‘Olympic Double’, so that is the name that should take preference, i.e., Rubus spectabilis ‘Olympic’ (Double-Flowered Group).
Lastly, it is uncertain whether the Cowichan Valley plant was ever propagated for commerce (though it may be in a few gardens!). This one should also be identified as Rubus spectabilis Double-Flowered Group.
This is an absolutely stunning photograph.
Rubus spectabilis ‘Olympic Double’ – Z5 – RHS Index of Garden Plants, Griffiths
Rubus spectabilis ‘Olympic Double’ – Z5-8 – A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, Brickell, Cole, Zuk
Daniel is this a scan of the plant? It’s gorgeous — that black background really punches up the color
I love this dramatic version of our own native salmon berry! A beautiful member of this species resides in the native garden, n’est pas?
For is not the ‘black background’ water?
That is a truly phenomenal image!
See my blog for information/links of scans: http://ellishollow.remarc.com/?cat=55
Maureen, yes, this is a scan (and yes, elizabeth, this is from the plant in the Native Garden – surreptitiously snipped for me to scan at home for BPotD since I ran out of time on Friday to take a photograph of it).
Absolutely- stunningly beautiful
This comment is late in the day (Sept 2009) but it’s worth noting that the origin of this plant is on record. According to the accession records of the University of Washington Arboretum, it was found by Dr. R. C. Creelman of Bremerton, Washington about May 1, 1961, at the mouth of the Duckabush River, which falls into the Hood Canal on the east side of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. The Arboretum acquired their specimen in 1963 and the cultivar name used in Brian Mulligan’s 1977 catalog of the Arboretum’s collection is ‘Olympic’, not ‘Olympic Double’.
Wow, I’ll never look at our little salmonberry bush the same way — this variety is doubly beautiful! Thanks for sharing this photo.
I’m thrilled to have at last identified this pretty shrub that is busily flowering today, in my coastal garden in Wales!Thanks for the background info. ….Teresa.