Cover Article
by Rudolph Henny
The illustration on the cover of the July bulletin is R. prunifolium . This species native to the southeastern part of the United States is rarely grown in the gardens of the Northwest. Its rather late red bloom is distinct, and handsome, and only the very coldest season will injure its buds. Quoting from notes by David Leach: "I have scouted R. prunifolium in the wild. It is conspicuous in preferring low, damp places in the dry, hot counties where it is native in the south. Its preference for shade is quite marked, compared with the other native azaleas. The books say it is limited in distribution to one county in Georgia, but this is not correct. It is much more widespread than that in Georgia and some plants are even found in Alabama. The color is very brilliant, pure and free from any trace of blue. The plant is in bud, of course, for the next year at the time it blooms here at the end of August. It makes a sizzling display, visible from one end of the garden to the other. It is a first class garden ornamental and no other woody plant of any genus grown in the northeastern United States can compete with it in its own season. Every year I am struck anew with wonder that it is not one of the most popular shrubs in existence wherever it is hardy. Of course, it does not keep its buds here."
The color transparency was loaned to the Society by David Leach.