AZALEA, a genus of about 25 species of shrubs of the family Ericacece, natives of the northern hemisphere, principally of east ern Asia and North America. By some botanists the genus is united with Rhododen dron (q.v.), as may be seen below. 'The species have deciduous leaves and showy, often fragrant flowers, usually in terminal umbel like clusters. 'They are commonly divided into two groups: the Indian azaleas and the hardy deciduous azaleas, including the Ghent hybrid forms. The Indian azaleas, mostly imported from Holland and forced in green houses, are propagated by grafts or cuttings. rarely by seeds. They are planted in loose, moderately fertile soil during sheltered from the sun and watered freely during the summer; re potted in early autumn; and, by special atten tion, brought into flower as desired from late autumn until early summer. The leading species of the group is A. indica, of which two varieties, alumna and kc•msferi are fairly hardy as far north as New Jersey. The members of the hardy group need some protection in the north and in exposed situations to prevent in jury to the flower-buds due to sudden varia tions of temperature. Named horticultural varieties are usually propagated by grafts or by cuttings. Seedlings are often grown for
their own merits, but are generally used for stocks upon which to graft choicer varieties. The following are among the 'best known species of this group: A. nucliflora, pinxter flower, found from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, has pink, white or sometimes purple flowers in mid-spring; A. calendulacea, found from New York to Georgia, has large orange or flame-colored, particularly handsome blossoms in late spnng; A. occidentalis, a California species, bears fragrant, white, pink ish flowers in early summer; A. arborescens, found in the Alleghany Mountains, has f rag rant white or pink flowers in June; A. viscosa, clammy azalea or white swamp honeysuckle, is found in swamps from maritime Canada to Florida and westward to Arkansas, and bears fragrant white or pink flowers in June or July. Among the Asiatic members of this group the best known are probably: A. monis, A. rhombica and A. politica. Consult Halliday, 'Treatise on the Propagation and Cultivation of Azalea Indica); Van Geert, qconographie des Azalees.)