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The azalea per se is hard to describe, as it may be a tiny 8" spreading groundcover, or a 20' shrub. There are, in fact, more than 3000 different species, hybrids and cultivars of Rhododendron grown in the U.S. alone. In any case, the azaleas are woody stemmed shrubs, prized for their characteristic, usually prolific, often fragrant, trumpet shaped flowers. These may be only 1/2", or more than 4" across. They come usually in shades of pink, white, purple, orange and red, and may be freckled, variegated, single or double. Many azalea varieties cultivated for landscape use are evergreen, but there are plenty of deciduous ones too. Azaleas are rhododendrons, but all rhododendrons are not azaleas. The common names are often interchanged, but some would restrict "azalea" to those species whose flowers have 5 stamens and use "rhododendron" for the species with 10 or more stamens. Most gardeners use "azalea" for those plants with deciduous leaves and funnel shaped flowers, and "rhododendron" for those with evergreen foliage and larger, bell shaped flowers. Needless to say, the distinctions are not always reliable.
Wild azaleas are found on every continent except Africa and South America. Southwestern China and Papua New Guinea have the most species. Gardeners have been hybridizing different species and selecting azalea cultivars for centuries.
Culture
With more than 3000 cultivars to choose from, there are a lot of uses for azaleas in the landscape! Azaleas make great hedges and the smaller cultivars are useful as low borders or in beds. Many are outstanding as specimen shrubs. Most thrive in the dappled shade of tall pines.
Features Florida's native azaleas include, but are not limited to, R. austrinum (flame azalea), which blooms bright orange and is very early flowering; R. canescens, known as Pinxter azalea, which has very fragrant light pink flowers also in early spring; and R. viscosum, or swamp azalea, which blooms in the summer with small white flowers.
Steve Christman 04/02/99; updated 12/04/00, 3/23/02, 2/25/04, 4/14/08
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