Azaleas are flowering
shrubA shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus
RhododendronRhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
,
Pentanthera (deciduous) and
Tsutsuji (evergreen). Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks. Shade tolerant, they prefer living near or under trees.
Differences
Azaleas differ from rhododendrons in being generally smaller and having one blossom per stem rather than blossom clusters.
Cultivation
Plant enthusiasts have selectively bred azaleas for hundreds of years. This human selection has produced over 10,000 different
cultivarA cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s which are propagated by cuttings. Azalea
seedA seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s can also be collected and
germinatedGermination is the process in which a plant or fungus emerges from a seed or spore, respectively, and begins growth. The most common example of germination is the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm. However the growth of a sporeling from a spore, for example the...
.
Azaleas are generally slow-growing and do best in well-drained acidic soil (4.5 - 6.0 pH).
FertilizerFertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
needs are low; some species need regular
pruningPruning is a horticultural practice involving the selective removal of parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. Reasons to prune plants include deadwood removal, shaping , improving or maintaining health, reducing risk from falling branches, preparing nursery specimens for...
.
Azaleas are native to several continents including Asia, Europe and North America. They are planted abundantly as ornamentals in the southeastern US.
Disease
Main article:
List of azalea diseases
Azalea leafy gall can be particularly destructive to azalea leaves during the early spring. Hand picking infected leaves is the recommended method of control.
They can also be subject to
phytophthoraPhytophthora is a genus of plant-damaging Oomycetes , whose member species are capable of causing enormous economic losses on crops worldwide, as well as environmental damage in natural ecosystems. The genus was first described by Heinrich Anton de Bary in 1875...
root rot in moist, hot conditions.
Cultural significance and symbolism
In Chinese culture, the azalea is known as "thinking of home bush" (siangsih shu) and is immortalized in the poetry of Tu Fu and is used to rich effect in contemporary stories such as by Taiwanese author
Pai, Hsien-YungKenneth Hsien-yung Pai , born July 11, 1937) is a writer who has been described as a "melancholy pioneer." He was born in Guilin, Guangxi, China at the cusp of both the Second Sino-Japanese War and subsequent Chinese Civil War...
.
The azalea is also one of the symbols of the city of
São PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, in
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
United States
Many cities in the United States have festivals in the spring celebrating the blooms of the azalea, including
Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
;
Wilmington, North CarolinaWilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
(
North Carolina Azalea Festival-Overview:The takes place every year in the city of Wilmington, North Carolina. The Festival is a non-civic organization and is highly sponsored by the local community. It celebrates local art, the floral gardens, and the history of Wilmington. The festival lasts for five days and takes place in...
);
Valdosta, GeorgiaValdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 54,518. The Valdosta metropolitan area, according to the 2010 estimate, has a population of 139,588...
;
Palatka, FloridaPalatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
(
Florida Azalea FestivalDating back to the 1930s, the Florida Azalea Festival in Palatka, Florida is one of the state's oldest festivals. The festival, coinciding with the blooming of the azaleas, takes place every year on the first weekend of March. Most of the festivities take place in Downtown Palatka, but a large...
);.
The Azalea Trail is a designated path, planted with azaleas in private gardens, through
Mobile, AlabamaMobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. The
Azalea Trail RunThe Azalea Trail Run is an annual road running event held in late March in Mobile, Alabama which is considered one of the United States' premier road races. Runners, walkers, and wheelchair athletes from around the world and at all levels turn out for the event...
is an annual road running event held there in late March. Mobile, Alabama is also home to the
Azalea Trail MaidsThe Azalea Trail Maids are a group of fifty high school seniors chosen yearly to serve as "Official Ambassadors" for the city of Mobile, Alabama. The Maids, wearing extravagant antebellum-style dresses and using mannerisms of the era, make appearances at many local, state, and national events...
, 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.
Japan
Motoyama, Kochiis a town located in Nagaoka District, Kōchi, Japan.- History :Since the Meiji Restoration, what is now called Motoyama town has gone through several territorial changes. In 1889, 12 villages combined to become what was called Nishimotoyama Village, which was renamed as Motoyama Village a year later...
also has a flower festival in which the blooming of Tsutsuji is celebrated and
Tatebayashi, Gunmais a city located in Gunma, Japan.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 79,755, with a household number of 34,413, and the density of 1,307.89 persons per km²...
is famous for its Azalea Hill Park, Tsutsuji-ga-oka.
Nezu ShrineNezu Shrine , established in 1705, is a Shinto shrine located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan.It is famous for its Azalea Festival which is held on its grounds from early April until early May....
in
Bunkyo, Tokyois one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as scholars and politicians have lived there...
, holds a Tsutsuji Matsuri from early April until early May.
Korea
SobaeksanSobaeksan is a mountain of the Sobaek Mountains, in South Korea. It lies between Danyang County in the province of Chungcheongbuk-do and the city of Yeongju in the province of Gyeongsangbuk-do. It has an elevation of ....
, one of the 12 well-known
Sobaek MountainsThe Sobaek Mountains are a mountain range cutting across the southern Korean peninsula. They split off from the Taebaek Mountains and trend southwest across the center of the peninsula. They are traditionally considered to reach their southwestern limit at Jirisan, which is also the highest peak...
, lying on the border between Chungbuk Province and Gyeongbuk has a Royal Azalea (
Rhododendron schlippenbachiiRhododendron schlippenbachii is a species of Rhododendron native to the Korean Peninsula and adjacent regions of Manchuria , Japan, and the Russian Far East...
) 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
JeogoriThe jeogori is a basic upper garment of hanbok, Korean traditional garment, which has been worn by both men and women. It covers the arms and upper part of the wearer's body.-Etymology:...
(Korean traditional jacket). (Information from Dpt. of Culture & Tourism, Danyang-gun County Office)
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