Friday, January 12, 2007
Azalea Mollis... Grandaddy Red
Azalea mollis, as purchased in a nursery in this country, is certainly not a pure species, but rather a mix of seedlings from various old crosses of the Japanese and Chinese azaleas. They do have in common soft, silky colors in the yellow-orange-red spectrum. The reds typically, as shown here, tend to be soft orange-red. Our native flame azalea was added to this mix to make our modern Knap Hill-Exbury azaleas, with their brighter, sharper colors. These old mollis plants have a real charm though... I have several, from yellow to this red one, planted along both sides of a slightly sunny section of woodland trail that winds uphill and around a bend. These striking azaleas draw you up the trail to see what's awaiting you around the corner. 
// posted by IBOY @ 9:34 AM 
