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Rhododendron Sir Robert Peel Fountain Lake
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Excerpt from “The Notable Trees of New Plymouth”, 2002
Author: Cory Smith, Editor: George Fuller
Based on a review of S.W. (Bob) Burstall’s Mensuration Report # 19, 1973.
Notable Tree No ET 113
“Rhododendron 'Sir Robert Peel'." p195
EXOTIC TREE: 113
SPECIES: Rhododendron 'Sir Robert Peel'.
COMMON
NAME(S):
B.B CATEGORY:
Exotic Notable Tree - Local Interest.
ORIGINAL READINGS
LOCATION:
Beside boat landing, Fountain Lake, Pukekura Park.
DATE MEASURED:
1973
HEIGHT:
54 ft (16.5 m)
CANOPY SPREAD:
-
GIRTH AT 1 ft:
31 in (78.7 cm). ("Shouldn’t this be the diameter"?)
BURSTALL'S NOTES: A double leader tree, one of several in the park, blazing with colour in late August.
CURRENT READINGS
UPDATED LOCATION: Same as above, over-hanging Fountain Lake and pathway at the Northern end
(Figs. 188 and 189).
DATE MEASURED:
31st August 2001
HEIGHT: 15.35
m
CANOPY SPREAD:
12.3 m, only one measurement as the north to south reading is over-hanging
the lake.
DIAMETER AT 30 cm: 92.9 cm; circumference = 2.92 m
REMARKS:
The tree is on a 45 degree lean toward the lake, resulting in the canopy being
asymmetrical to the base. It contains two large limbs that arise from 30 cm. This is
one of the largest 'Sir Robert Peel' in New Zealand, by virtue of its trunk
measurements and height. If the tree was conventional, (straight up and down) it
would be ‘taller’. (Does this account for height discrepancy relative to Burstall's and
Medbury's measurements?). An example of early tree surgery can be viewed on the
southerly leader 1.4 m from ground level, measuring 70 cm x 15 cm at the widest
point. This cavity was filled by encasing the trunk in a thin metal sheath and pouring
polyurethane foam, (surfboards) into the cavity then painted for camouflage, c.1970.
A true survivor that is extremely healthy with prolific flowering of small trusses in late
winter.
Difficult to obtain measurements because of location and inclined habit.
Diameter at ground level = 1.156 m. (Circumference = 3.63 m).
North leader dbh =60.8 cm
South leader (nearest to lake) dbh = 50.6 cm.
The ‘height’ of this tree was placed on a grid pattern. If it was straight up and down
(vertical) the length (height) of the tree would be approximately 20 m.
~ Fuller, 1982: The present measurement is; diameter at 30cm = 0.831m. The most
northerly leader has a dbh of 0.521m and the southerly 0.459m.
(*Medbury, 1984: Ht = 17.2 m; spread approx = 15 m. Planted c. 1930's(???)).
W.W. Smith’s planting was of one of the first hybrids available in NZ).
This is unlikely because W.W. Smith was in charge 1908-21. Planting may even
have been before 1900, comparable with many large specimens from that era
located throughout New Zealand.
