Can anyone help me identify this azalea?
- Thread starter Todoroff
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just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
All I can say for sure is that its a Rhododendron Azalea Hybrid.
All true azaleas only have 5 stamens.
All true azaleas only have 5 stamens.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Even knowing it is a hybrid between "classic azalea" and some Rhododendron, that narrows your choices to only several thousand possible hybrids. Its not possible to definitively identify an azalea hybrid by its flowers alone. There are too many hybrids, many are quite similar. Do you have any of the provenance of the azalea? Even knowing what year it was planted in the landscape can narrow down the number of possible candidates. Visit the American Rhododendron Society webpages. Under plant data they have a search engine where you can search by different characteristics. Under "red flowers" they had about 100 listings for azalea and 300 for Rhododendron. The numbers searching for Purple flowers, and Lavender flowers yielded similar results. There is a multiple characteristics search function, so you can search using color and bloom season and a couple other traits.
From the ARS site you can see why it is probably impossible to identify an azalea or rhododendron by a photograph.
It is a pretty flower. Nice spot pattern. Well worth growing even if you never find out what hybrid it actually is.
From the ARS site you can see why it is probably impossible to identify an azalea or rhododendron by a photograph.
It is a pretty flower. Nice spot pattern. Well worth growing even if you never find out what hybrid it actually is.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
There are more than 10,000 varieties/cultivars of Azalea. No name tag, no nada.
Leo in N E Illinois
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Another thing to help narrow down your ID. Was it growing in your landscape? Yes, then the cold hardiness rating for where you live could narrow down the possible candidates. If it was from a greenhouse would suggest another group of hybrids. If it was from a landscape nursery, the use different hybrids than the "blooming potted plant for decoration" trade.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
Leo in N E Illinois
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I did a little digging.
Yes, that is the name you should use for your azalea. 'Azalea japonica'. This name is accepted in horticulture. It is the name of the plant.
This name is currently no longer in use by botanical taxonomists, but it is a name with historical and specific meaning. Your azalea is one of the Rhododendron section Tsuitsuisi species and hybrids. This is the larger group of species and hybrids that include the Satsuki hybrids, the Kurume hybrids, and other Tsuitsuisi hybrids. In 20 minutes I was unable to determine the current species name that would correspond to Azalea japonica, but I believe possibly Rhododendron kaempferi or possibly R. indica is possibly the current botanical name for Azalea japonica. At any rate, your plant is a species or most likely hybrid from the group of Rhododendron species found in Japan. All are section Tsuitsuisi species.
Somebody who is versed in Azalea history could look at the name an immediately tell you which species name is the current botanically accepted name.
Yes, that is the name you should use for your azalea. 'Azalea japonica'. This name is accepted in horticulture. It is the name of the plant.
This name is currently no longer in use by botanical taxonomists, but it is a name with historical and specific meaning. Your azalea is one of the Rhododendron section Tsuitsuisi species and hybrids. This is the larger group of species and hybrids that include the Satsuki hybrids, the Kurume hybrids, and other Tsuitsuisi hybrids. In 20 minutes I was unable to determine the current species name that would correspond to Azalea japonica, but I believe possibly Rhododendron kaempferi or possibly R. indica is possibly the current botanical name for Azalea japonica. At any rate, your plant is a species or most likely hybrid from the group of Rhododendron species found in Japan. All are section Tsuitsuisi species.
Somebody who is versed in Azalea history could look at the name an immediately tell you which species name is the current botanically accepted name.
