Rhododendron japonicum seed

LATIN NAME: Rhododendron japonicum

COMMON NAME: Japanese Azalea, Japanese Rhododendron

The Japanese azalea is a bright and cheerful shrub of the Japanese grasslands, and its orange-red bloom is a blaze of colour in late spring. It grows as a deciduous shrub, usually reaching a metre or so, though it can reach two and a half metres, with soft, deciduous leaves and, in late spring, generous clusters of large, funnel-shaped flowers in shades of orange, red or salmon-pink, often with darker spots. It grows in the open grasslands and scrub of Japan, and it is very similar to the Chinese wild azaleas, a tough, sun-loving shrub that brings a warm glow to the garden.

The Japanese azalea belongs to the heather family, Ericaceae, and it is native to Japan, where it grows in grasslands and open scrub, never in dense thickets or woodlands. It is a deciduous shrub that is closely related to the azaleas of China and the garden azaleas of the world, and its tough, sun-loving character sets it apart from the shade-loving evergreens of the same family, making it one of the easiest azaleas for an open, sunny spot.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The Japanese azalea has a genuine and growing place in both botanical and horticultural research. As a native of the Japanese grasslands, it has been studied in ecology and in research on the azaleas, and botanists have examined its relationships with the other Asian azaleas, including the very similar Chinese species, which has made it of interest in the study of the genus Rhododendron and its classification. The shrub has also been studied in horticulture, since it is a handsome and tough garden plant, valued for its bright orange-red bloom and its tolerance of sun and open ground, and it has contributed to the breeding of garden azaleas, which are among the most beloved flowering shrubs of the temperate garden. For a shrub of such bright beauty, the Japanese azalea has a steady and growing record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Ecologically, the Japanese azalea is a generous shrub of the grassland. Its orange-red flowers feed bees and other pollinators in late spring, and its leafy growth gives shelter for insects and small animals in the open ground where it grows.

Its economic value lies mainly in horticulture. It is a handsome garden shrub, prized for its bright bloom and its toughness, and it has contributed to the breeding of garden azaleas, which are grown around the world for their spectacular spring display. For a grower, the Japanese azalea is a rewarding and dependable shrub, and for a gardener it brings a blaze of orange-red in late spring. The seed is fine and easy to start — sow it on the surface of moist, lime-free compost in spring, keep it lightly watered in a bright, cool spot, and the tiny seedlings will appear within a few weeks, growing on slowly into shrubs that will reward you with their warm spring glow.