[Magdalen] Flowers That Bloom in May.

[Susan Hagen]

Evergreen azaleas do not do well for me.  Years back I established a
number of the deciduous ones, some that I bought, some that I grew
from seed in my back yard.  Some are pure natives, some are the
crosses between the Eastern US natives.  At the time there was too
much sun in that area and I lost some of them.  The trees have grown
up nicely and there is now the right kind of part sun and shade they
prefer.  My soil is still less acid than they like but that can be
amended.  In a year or two I intend to try again to expand the
collection.  I'll probably try again from seed - that means joining
azalea fancier societies and their seed sharing programs.  They are
pretty fussy, easy to germinate but susceptible to fungi and slow
growing so it is a multi-year project.  Something to keep me off the
streets.

Susan

On Mon, May 9, 2016 at 5:52 PM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen
<magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
> Floral Musings -
>
> We've had ten days of rain so the ground is soaked for spring  planting.
> Other Half has decided he wants to try the deciduous azaleas  available
> for this area.  Actually, there are some native deciduous azaleas,  but
> how they survive the Whitetailed deer is a mystery.  We have wire  netting
> and fencing at the ready for this project.  I've tried them before and  the
> deer had them munched in a flash.
>
> There are a variety of evergreen azaleas that do well here, and I just
> noticed
> that they are stunning up against the foundation of the house this year -
> reds, pinks, and white flowers.
>
> The little leafed rhododendrons such as the PJM's are past peak and  were
> spectacular this spring.
>
> I'm eyeing the Piedmont rhodies that have the largest buds I've ever seen
> here.
> They were mostly planted out under the trees in 1988, and some of  them
> are 20 ft x 20 ft., especially the Nova Zemblas.  The Zemblas must  have
> some genes from that largest of the rhododendron genus which bears a
> brilliant red flower and gets to be EIGHTY FEET tall in Asia.  Give  them
> a couple of weeks.
>
> Redbud is not native here in the Poconos, is are hardy.  Ours is  blooming
> for the first time this year out under a large Flowering Dogwood.   It's a
> thrill.
>
>
> David Strang.
>



-- 
The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among
you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the
land of Egypt.
Leviticus 19:34