A guide to the native deciduous azaleas of the USA and their hybrids.

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Product Description

Other than a few Asiatic and one European species, North America is home to all the deciduous azaleas, members of the genus Rhododendron. There are native American azaleas suitable for a wide variety of garden environments. Gardeners interested in knowing more about these attractive, usually fragrant shrubs will discover here the diversity to be found in the species and will learn about recent trends in cultivation, selection, and hybridization. American azaleas are not used as much as they should be in gardens and in landscaping, even in areas where the plants are native and are common along roadsides. The author offers expert recommendations on all the horticultural aspects important for growing these colorful shrubs, including siting, soil preparation, and companion plantings. His coverage of the native species and the cultivars is comprehensive and up to date. The book provides all that the reader needs to enjoy the year-round pleasures offered by American azaleas.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #485506 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-01
• Format: Illustrated
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 188 pages

From Booklist
Although few plants evoke the lazy gentility of southern gardens or the lush tranquility of woodland glens the way azaleas do, for most gardeners they remain an unattainable goal, a shrub desired but seldom incorporated in landscape design. Miscast as being temperamental or confined to precise pockets of geography, azaleas are, in reality, remarkably suited for most garden settings in all but a few parts of the country. Towe, an azalea breeder and dedicated azalea aficionado, speaks from a quarter-century of observational and practical experience. Writing with a folksy good humor about the charm of collecting azaleas, Towe can be professorially fastidious when relaying information about nomenclature and hybridization. Along the way, he covers all the basics of azalea culture, from planting and pruning to selecting and siting. Helpful information outlining appropriate companion plants aids in developing a pleasing landscape design, while precise propagation details and appendixes listing azalea organizations and nurseries offer valuable information. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"Towe provides a handy list of growers, as well as the names of plant societies devoted to azaleas. Altogether a useful and much-needed book on a group of native plants that deserve to be better known."—John Van de Water, Newark Star-Ledger, April 11, 2005

"It may come as a surprise to learn that there are actually 15 native azalea species and more than 100 hybrids and cultivated varieties. ... You'll find them all in 'American Azaleas.'"—John Van de Water, Newark Star-Ledger, April 10, 2005

"Towe ... provides the reader with not only the basics of growing them successfully, but with the more technical aspects of their culture, including propagation."—Richard Churchill, People Places Plants, Spring 2005

About the Author
For more than 25 years L. Clarence Towe, a retired educator from South Carolina, has observed American azaleas in their native habitats. More recently, he has introduced many new azalea cultivars into circulation. In addition to this book, he shares his enthusiasm for these plants in articles for the Journal of the American Rhododendron Society and lectures about them. Clarence travels the back roads in search of azaleas and along the way discovers places where time has slowed to a crawl. Each year he sets out with renewed anticipation of spotting new and uncultivated varieties. He meets remarkable plant enthusiasts and tells great stories like the one about an old-timer who, when asked how he managed to find so many unusual plants, said simply, "'It's easy to spot a stranger."' Clarence's writing style is as colorful as the photos in American Azaleas. With wisdom and humor he takes us into remote areas where one might expect to stumble onto a distillery. He and his two plant-hunting buddies work their way across the Appalachian Trail, through Georgia, and North and South Carolina?indeed every geographic range of the various species?scouring the U.S. for spectacular and unidentified specimens. "'Through trial and error, I settled on a red and blue Scottish plaid bag made of woven plastic, similar to car upholstery material used in the 1950s,"' says Clarence of his plant-collecting gear. "'The key to being seen in the woods with a lady's shopping bag is to walk with a sense of purpose and avoid eye contact with strangers. So far it has worked."' Clarence Towe is eminently qualified to introduce American azaleas into gardens, and in 2005, Clarence was presented the Azalea Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society's highest award, the Bronze Medal, in recognition for years of outstanding effort on behalf of the chapter and the society, including authoring American Azaleas.

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Customer Reviews

Good introduction to native azaleas
This book is a good introduction to native azaleas and is particularly helpful on distinguishing between the fifteen azalea species that grow in the U.S. Each species is described with a map indicating areas of the country where the plant originates. A 40-page section of beautiful color photos show each variety growing in the wild and in gardens. Other chapters include information on growing, collecting, landscaping and propagating azaleas. Appendices include sources for purchasing azaleas, organizations, registration forms for registering a new azalea and rhodendron name, illustrations of leave and flower types and a bibliography.

Wonderful World of Native American Azalea Species
What a wonderful book. The author has created a book that is easy to read, practical and informative. For those who are thinking about incorporating some native flowering shrubs into their garden or for those that are interested in Azaleas in general, this book is a must have. From a technical point of view, the author gives detailed information on propagation, planting and overall care of these plants. The photography gave a wonderful view of these native azaleas in their natural habitat as well as their tasteful placement in a naturalized garden. My favorite part of the book however was the in-depth discussion on hybridization of the native azaleas. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in native azaleas.