Health is the Flora of today: Early Azaleas

 

Early Azaleas

Azaleas 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 lasts several weeks

Plants are shade tolerant, they prefer living near or under trees 

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

In addition to being renowned for its beauty, the azalea is also highly toxic—it contains andromedotoxins in both its leaves and nectar

In Chinese culture, the azalea is known as "thinking of home bush" (sixiang shu), and is immortalized in the poetry of Du Fu