Issue 71

emembering Augie

When August Kehr died on September 27, 2001, the plant world lost a respected and valued man. Augie was very well regarded, not only by members of the Magnolia Society, but by enthusiasts ''I as well. 1 ''a The Fall zoot issue of the Magnolia Magazine (Vol. 8 No. z) contained a detailed obituary describing Augie's many accom- plishments. However, in this issue of Magnolia, we have collected some personal remembrances from those members of the Magnolia Society who knew him best. Interestingly, a common thread runs through most of these personal remembrances: Augie developed his interest in late in his life. As several of the contributors pointed out, he didn' t even begin his extensive magnolia hybridizing program until he retired from his day job. He lived his life and made his plans as if there were an unlimited number of tomorrows. We will certainly miss Augie.

Augie with his magnoiias in Hendersonviiie, NC. Pat McCracken took this photograph in the Spring of 1999. MACNrxlA issue 71

From Joe Hicknusn his generosity, his plants are spread Benton, LL October, 2001 over the world where ornamental plants are cherished and cultivated. On Saturday morning [September At this writing I can only think of 29+ —ed. ], I stepped over to my him in superlatives. His contribu- secretary's computer in the office tions to the Magnolia Society and to read some e-mails and learned to the world will endure Forever. of Augie's death. I was on my way to mow an acre or two, a beautiful I have forgotten the source and I day, and this news just left me cannot quote exacdy, but I read desolate for awhile. Then I really something long ago to the effect digested that he created o kgend more the various e-mails. Augie was enduring thon bronze. This cer- evidendy in a rec!ining chair, tainly applies to Augie. What a dozing or taking a nap and just splendid life he lived! didn't wake up. What a fine way for that old gentleman to go —at peace and in the company of his loved ones. I don't remember his Prom Hero@ Hopkins exact age, but he was in his higher DeLond, FL Ocmber, 2002 I'm you' Sos and sure ll remember Augie was a plant genetics expert he his wife had to move that and in the vsDA at Beltsville, MD. I'm beautiful home from their due to not sure who introduced me to their health. failing him. He had already enjoyed a All of us make many friends in successful career in breeding and a plant society and this is one introducing of either of the major reasons that we azaleas or . When I belong. I never heard Augie say met him, I talked about the fun of a bad word about anyone. He was being in the Magnolia Society and strong physically and mentally. He experimenting with breeding and was a man, a good man, and a grafting. I guess it was a time gentle man. I think of him fre- when he was looking for a new quendy because wherever I go in place to direct his energies. He the five acres at my ofFice, I see his leaped at the opportunity, and hybrids from scion wood or from never looked back. rhat he me. plants gave I don't give myself as much credit I am sure that you know of his as he does For introducing him to long and distinguished career in magnolia breeding. He retired horticulture. By his writings and from the vsoA about that time, usUE 71 st A G Not IA and bought a retirement home I knew he had experienced some with acreage for avenues of mag- medical problems several years ago nolias in Hendersonville, Nc, near but I found it difficult to accept Carl Sandburg's retirement retreat his recent letter saying that he was at Flat Rock, and set goals of moving closer to his nearest kin desirables and possibles for his somewhere in the Midwest, and breeding. He exploited the use of where magnolias are not a way of hybrids previously considered life. sterile for breeding purposes because of odd ploidy numbers, and —using pollen from the fall- flowering crocus —tricked magno- lias into changing their ploidy to make them subjects for hybridiza- tion. Like Joe McDaniel, he watched for witches brooms that might provide new material (see photo). It wasn't long before he was turning out a steady trickle and then a stream of new and desirable cultivars with new colors and bred to cope with late freezes —an almost regular spring phenomenon that harms the fruit, flower, and wood of some Asian magnolias in the Eastern U. S. With other society member breeders, he has helped introduce some Ameri- can magnolias and their desirable characters into the breeding of Asian magnolias.

Augie's life was one of useful and energetic action to remove breed- ing obstacles. He was also, to my knowledge, the instigator of the society's sponsorship and funding of a magnolia research program. Augie Kehr inspecting a witches broom in Salem, OR in the Spring of 2001. AIA GNOL IA /55UE 71

From Mark 1&ussrnmnrt and I was especially amazed to Sukm, oit Aftrrch, zooz realize how few people knew of his accomplishments. August was such In my heart August Kehr will a humble person. It seemed to me always occupy a revered spot. He that this might be why so few was a gentle, generous man who wholesale nurserymen knew of enjoyed a good hug and never him. Despite the remarkable tired of talking about plants. success of his plant breeding Jolly and I first met Augie at the efForts, he seldom called any Magnolia Society meeting in attention to his plants and never to Eugene, OR in t994. I recall being himself. delighted by his articulate presen- My friend, Pat McCracken, and I tation about his hybrid yellows, determined to do whatever we could to get his beautiful magnolia cultivars into the mainstream of Augie with Mark and Jolly Krautrnann of Heritage Seedlings in the Spring horticulture. In the spring of '9S of 200 l. we drove from Raleigh to Hendersonville, NC to see August and to photograph his magnolia crosses in bloom. Of course, we nagged him about his favorites, but he was always non-committal. He'd counter, "What ones are your favorites?" His only condusive statement about any of them that I can remember was, "'Daybreak' is " a pretty good one. In my own judgment, "breathtaking" is an inadequate term for the unfolding ' blooms of 'Daybreak We recall from the Old Testament the notation that King Solomon in all his glory was never arrayed as lovely as a lily. Yet August, by his God-given talent, created this lovely creature he so elegantly ' '„called 'Daybreak. I will just leave I55UE 71 AI A GNOME IA it at that. Don't leave this mortal plams might be a good one to world yourself until you lay eyes bulk up, not long afterward you' d upon 'Daybreak' in bloom. find in your mailbox a meticu- lously prepared package of buds of Later that year we gathered scions his horticultural legacies. These of 'Daybreak' and 'Sunspire' (a buds were like gold in your great upright yellow) for budding propagating hands. and grafting, and since then we' ve given talks here and rhere to August was a mentor to me as a promote his material. After some nurseryman, but that's not the false starts, we feel that we have a main reason I will always carry a solid basis to ofFer some of his best part of him with me. He was a magnolias to the trade. Pat, Al gentleman —heavy on the gentle. Reimer, and I and have a His kind wife, Mary Lou, and he gentlemen's agreement to contrib- seemed a perfect match, so I know ute a dollar to the Magnolia that she misses his presence and Society research fund in August's smile more than any of us. At their name for each plant of 'Sunspire' comfortable mountain home that we sell. It could generate a they'd created a piece of heaven in significant amount of revenue so the woods. Because it's situated at that research will be much better relatively high elevation and his funded. We hope others will join magnolia trials were on a low-lying us in this tribute to August. If creek bench, the area would get we in the Society don't support devastating frosts nearly every year. research and carry on with the In typical fashion, at the age of 6o example that August set, who will? or so, August was undaunted. He saw the opportunity to breed late- During our visits to Augie's home blooming, frost-resistant magno- or his to ours, my sense was always lias, and to test them under severe that I was in the presence of a conditions. Who among us, even living saint. On the occasion of his in this Society, would consider last trip to in spring of 'oi, beginning a magnolia breeding I recall Feeling so Fortunate at effort in such a place at age 6o? breakfast with August to be able to ask about his strategies in crossing August was a great man. He had magnolias. He'd patiently explain the audacity to do what none all about his goal to get a fine, late other has done before, and to do it blooming yellow —what cultivars without any staff or contract or he used, and why. Should you incentive other than to leave the casually remark that any of his world a more beautiful place than IWICI(OLIA ISSUE 71

Augie instructing members of the Magnolia Society at the 1987 Annual meeting, which was held that year in Hendersonville, NC.

to make spring, and the world, much more beautiful!

The loss of August has been very difficult for me since we were so dose. Not only have I lost my mentor, but also one of my best friends. It would be easy to get bogged down in the pain of Augie's passing, but this is not o what Augie would have wanted. =He" lived his life to the fullest and O took great pleasure in his magno- lias. The pain of his passing is still he found it. Each of us is greater here, but the amazement and joy because of August. His fragranr, of what Augie has created are all stunning, hardy magnolias will around me everyday. I have the always be with us, and a bit of him great fortune of being a large lives on in each of us who were producer of magnolias and I have fortunate to know him. specialized in working with the plants that Augie produced. When I go into the greenhouses or imo the gardens, I feel Augie's spirit From Puc McCrachcn and the joy of his creations sur- Zcbufon, A(C March, zooz rounding me.

Finally! It is that time of the year The ftrst time that I had the again when the dull grays and pleasure of meeting Augie was in browns of winter are quickly 1995. I had heard For several years disappearing and spring is here in about a retired gentleman that had all its multicolored glory. For me, been accomplishing incredible much of the glory of spring is the things with magnolias. So finally a anticipation of the beauty of couple of us from the J. C. magnolia flowers. There is no Raulston in Raleigh, doubt that August Kehr has helped nc took a trip up to see what was Issur 71 AAACNOila going on. Needless to say, I was prem Al Reimer completely stunned! Never could I Lyrrekrr, WA htureh zooz have imagined the extent of what I had the good fortune of getting Augie had accomplished after he to know Augie Kehr over the last retired! In his very gentle and quiet few years. He was an inspiration to manner, Augie instilled in me the me, not only in the specialty Field love and passion for magnolias. He oF Magnolia, but in terms of also taught me that it was com- human creative activity, in general. pletely possible to make huge advances in magnolia breeding One of my strongest memories of within a lifetime. Augie was at the Magnolia Society meeting in , DC This has lead me to undertake during the spring of zooo. After an extensive and exhausting the conclusion of the meeting, breeding project with evergreen Augie, Pat McCracken and I took magnolias. Augie's guidance and a side trip to the National Arbore- encouragement has always been tum. Augie talked of when he there. Not only did Augie intro- worked there, years before, and his duce me to the wonders of magno- friendship with Kosar and DeVos. lia breeding, but he also intro- He said he had no real interest, or duced me to the fantastic world of knowledge, of magnolias at that magnolia people! It is amazing time in his life, and only as he was how many people have come into near retirement did he become my life due to the influence of excited about the Augie. Augie has given me the species. greatest gift imaginable —the gift of friendship! He has also given me It struck me thar it's never too late the gift of passion for my work. to begin creative work. Augie's There are days that I just can't get remarkable hybrids are all the fruit out of bed fast enough to get to of his work as a "retired" person. work on grafting magnolias. It is Augie wasn't just creative in his wonderful to have a job that I love magnolia breeding, but created an and to work with plants that I love excitement and a love For the and to see the hand of Augie every plants in Pat and myself, and in place. Yes, Augie is not with us in many others who he was a friend person, but he will always be with to. us in spirit —all we have to do is A year later, Augie and Pat made a look at the beautiful magnolias he trip to the West Coast, which was has given us! the last time I saw Augie. SIA GNOL IA ISSLIE 71

Eroru Ray HearI Ifurberferdrou, NC January, zooz

Augie Kehr retired and with his wife, Mary Lou, moved to Hendersonville, NC in the Fall of 1979. He soon became an active member of the local chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. Right away I realized that I was welcome to visit anytime and that Augie would take time to show me projects he was working on and answer my questions. Most people know about the rhododendron and evergreen azalea hybrids that he created, but his interest went much farther than this. He had a project to try and hybridize a more heat tolerant rhubarb and a seedless pawpaw. Augie visitng the Reimers in BC, He had an excellent collection of Canada in the Spring of 2001. From L. native azaleas that had been to Rc Nick Reimer, Augie Kehr, and Ai acquired over a lifetime. He Reimer. created lepidote rhododendron hybrids using R. chapnranii For He brought some M. acuminaca heat tolerance and R. augusrr'uii x pollen along, wanting to cross with R carolincaum to get blue flowers. some of the larger pink varieties in These are being rested at present my father's collection. A few and some will become well known months later, Augie passed away. I garden plants. often think of him, and miss his friendship. Augie once told me that probably the most important thing he discovered was that pollen can be frozen, stored, and used for years. He was extremely pleased to have been part of starting the Research tssur 71 MAGNOLu

Foundation and Breeders received any answers to these Roundtable For the Rhododendron questions. Augie was always Society. looking ahead and did not have time For looking back. Excerpts After all his accomplishments, from Augie's last two emails show Augie's magnolias were his passion. proof of what kind of life he lived: I will always remember a man in his mid-8os climbing a tI-foot Thur. Septzo, zoot. Ihavea ladder to collect pollen and make polyploid plant of (R. Xlondyke'st R. crosses. ealendulaeeum) X3I4-I that ivill flower in a few days. Itis an ever- I stated on several occasions that green arnica that should be the one thing I liked about a lot of yellow I be been u aiting on for aI magnolias were their fragrance. years. One early spring morning in xooo he sent me to the far end of his Wed Sept. z6, zoos. The pbtnt I told magnolia planting. In about rI you about has bloomed and thereis minutes he hollered for me to a lot ofpinkin theflouer. It has come back to where he was somepoIIen andi am selflngi. Ifl standing. He had four piles of cut get some I will send you part of magnolia blooms. I was to separate them. There should be some yellows them by their smell. I was told among these seedls'ngs. that I had solved a problem that I think that it is fitting that the last involved M. 'Daybreak' in his contact I had with Augie involved orchard. Augie had lost his sense him making a cross and looking of smell in his later years. forward to the results. Through his Over the last Few years I often plants Augie has left us a legacy questioned Augie about any regrets that will be enjoyed for genera- he might have in regards to crosses tions to come. that were not made. I never