Azalea
Azaleas (/əˈzeɪliə/ ə-ZAY-lee-ə) are flowering shrubs in the genus Rhododendron, particularly the former sections Tsutsusi (evergreen) and Pentanthera (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in the spring (April and May in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, and October and November in the Southern Hemisphere). Their flowers often last several weeks. Shade tolerant, they prefer living near or under trees. They are part of the family Ericaceae.
Botany
Study of Azaleas
Azalea flowers are funnel-shaped, somewhat two-lipped, and often fragrant. Flowers of rhododendrons, on the other hand, are more often bell-shaped. Azalea flowers typically have only 5 projecting stamens, as compared with 10 (or more) in rhododendrons. Intermediate forms, however, do occur.
Plant enthusiasts have selectively bred azaleas for hundreds of years. This human selection has produced thousands of different cultivars which are propagated by cuttings. Azalea seeds can also be collected and germinated.
Azaleas are generally slow-growing and do best in well-drained acidic soil (4.5–6.0 pH).Fertilizer needs are low. Some species need regular pruning.
Azaleas are native to several continents including Asia, Europe and North America. They are planted abundantly as ornamentals in the southeastern US, southern Asia, and parts of southwest Europe.
History of
George L. Taber's Azalea
'George L. Taber' is one of the best sun and heat-tolerant Southern Indica Azaleas. This stunning plant features 3-4 inch large, funnel-shaped flowers in spring that are a dazzling white and pink bicolor with a blotch of fuchsia on the petals.
According to azalea historian Fred Galle, in the United States, Azalea indica (in this case, the group of plants called Southern indicas) was first introduced to the outdoor landscape in the 1830s at the rice plantation Magnolia-on-the-Ashley in Charleston, South Carolina. From Philadelphia, where they were grown only in greenhouses, John Grimke Drayton (Magnolia's owner) imported the plants for use in his estate garden.
With encouragement from Charles Sprague Sargent from Harvard's Arnold Arboretum, Magnolia Gardens was opened to the public in 1871, following the American Civil War. Magnolia is one of the oldest public gardens in America. Since the late 19th century, in late March and early April, thousands visit to see the azaleas bloom in their full glory.
Azalea Festivals
Azalea festivals celebrate the blooming of azalea flowers and showcase the beauty of gardens, art, history, and culture. Many countries hold Azalea Festivals, including Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and the United States
Japanese Festivals
Motoyama, Kōchi has a flower festival in which the blooming of Tsutsuji is celebrated. Tatebayashi, Gunma is famous for its Azalea Hill Park, Tsutsuji-ga-oka. Nezu Shrine in Bunkyo, Tokyo, holds a Tsutsuji Matsuri from early April until early May. Higashi Village has hosted an azalea festival each year since 1976. The village's 50,000 azalea plants draw an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 visitors each year.
Korean Festivals
Korea Sobaeksan, one of the 12 well-known Sobaek Mountains, lying on the border between Chungbuk Province and Gyeongbuk has a royal azalea (Rhododendron schlippenbachii) festival held on May every year. Sobaeksan has an azalea colony dotted around Biro mountaintop, Gukmang and Yonwha early in May. When royal azaleas have turned pink in the end of May, it looks like Sobaeksan wears a pink Jeogori (Korean traditional jacket).
Chinese Festivals
Hong Kong
The Ma On Shan Azalea Festival is held in Ma On Shan, where six native species (Rhododendron championae, Rhododendron farrerae, Rhododendron hongkongense, Rhododendron moulmainense, Rhododendron simiarum and Rhododendron simsii ) are found in the area. The festival has been held since 2004; it includes activities such as exhibitions, photo contests and carnivals.
United States Festivals
Many cities in the United States have festivals in the spring celebrating the blooms of the azalea, including Summerville, South Carolina; Hamilton, New Jersey; Mobile, Alabama; Jasper, Texas; Tyler, Texas; Norfolk, Virginia; Wilmington, North Carolina (North Carolina Azalea Festival); Valdosta, Georgia; Palatka, Florida (Florida Azalea Festival); Pickens, South Carolina; Muskogee, Oklahoma; Brookings, Oregon; and Nixa, Missouri.
The Azalea Trail is a designated path, planted with azaleas in private gardens, through Mobile, Alabama. The Azalea Trail Run is an annual road running event held there in late March. Mobile, Alabama is also home to the Azalea Trail Maids, fifty women chosen to serve as ambassadors of the city while wearing antebellum dresses, who originally participated in a three-day festival, but now operate throughout the year.
The Azalea Society of America designated Houston, Texas, an "azalea city".[citation needed] The River Oaks Garden Club has conducted the Houston Azalea Trail every spring since 1935.
Valdosta, Georgia is called the Azalea City, as the plant grows in profusion there. The city hosts an annual Azalea Festival in March.
History of Azaleas
These colorful plants originated in China and Japan and made their way to the U.S. via England, France, and Germany around the 1830s. The first American azaleas were planted on a plantation near Charleston, South Carolina, called Middleton Place Gardens, and have been associated with Southern gardens ever since.
Japan
In Japanese culture, the azalea is highly prized for its beauty and symbolism, and it is often associated with passion, femininity, and fragility. The azalea has a long history in Japanese art and literature, and it has practical uses in traditional Japanese medicine. Azaleas are admired for their elegance and simplicity. They are celebrated during the annual Tsutsuji Matsuri (Azalea Festival), where people gather to enjoy their beauty and fragrance.
China
In Chinese culture, the azalea is known as "thinking of home bush" (sixiang shu), and is immortalized in the poetry of Du Fu.
Azaleas flower meaning ranges from beauty, wealth, and happiness, to some darker themes because of its toxicity. They are often depicted in traditional paintings and poetry as symbols of prosperity and good fortune. These flowers are also a popular gift for parents to convey homesickness. Azaleas in the mail may also indicate a trip home soon.
England
Azaleas were introduced from the Chinese through trade and traveled through the Black Sea. British gardeners began incorporating this new flowering shrub into Victorian floriography. They symbolized temperance, affection, and elegance.
