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Azalea and rhododendron are unique plants, well known to every person who is fond of floriculture. But even any person inexperienced in flowers will not be able to calmly pass by these plants in bloom, so they enchant with their beauty. The difference between an azalea and a rhododendron has been causing heated discussions for many years, both among scientists and among ordinary flower growers. But although in the official scientific world they came to some agreement, according to tradition, these plants continue to be called as it was accepted about 100 years ago.
What is the difference between Azalea and Rhododendron
Both of these plants belong to a large family of heathers, in which there were previously two different places for them: the genus Rhododendron and the genus Azalea. The seemingly complicated name of the main genus consists of two Greek words: rose (rhodon) and tree (dendron). And in translation means – a rose tree.
Only in 1583, this name was first assigned to only one specific species – r. rusty, which was found in the Alps. Later, Carl Linnaeus, creating his famous classification of plants, indicated 9 species of rhododendrons. Among them were 3 evergreen and 6 deciduous. And he decided to classify deciduous species as a separate genus – azalea. However, azaleas have also been known since ancient times, with the only difference being that their historical homeland is India, Japan and China. In Europe, they do not grow in the wild.
Later, botanists found out that Carl Linnaeus was mistaken, and the plants he divided into different genera have much more similarities than differences. Therefore, in modern plant taxonomy, the genus Azalea was completely abolished, and all their modern species were assigned to the genus Rhododendrons. At the moment, this genus already includes about 1300 species and more than 30000 plant varieties. Among them there are:
- deciduous;
- semi-evergreen;
- evergreen trees, shrubs and shrubs.
However, the traditions in floriculture are very stable, and the flowers, which for many years were called azaleas, retained the right to be called that way. They were simply assigned to the genus of rhododendrons.
To date, the following species and their numerous varieties are called azaleas:
- R. western (occidentale);
- R. sticky (R. viscosum);
- R. Simsa (Rs imsii);
- a hybrid group of Knep Hill varieties;
- evergreen hybrids of R. blunt (Japanese azaleas).
The first two species and their varieties are deciduous, and the rest are evergreen.
And among gardeners, therefore, there are still various misconceptions. For example, it is believed that azaleas are deciduous rhododendrons, and there can be no evergreen species among them.
In fact, the difference between these plants is rather arbitrary and consists of several things.
It is generally accepted that rhododendrons are exclusively garden plants that can withstand significant frosts down to -20-30 ° C. While azaleas are heat-loving sissies and can grow mainly in rooms and greenhouses. This is not surprising, given their southern origin, especially Indian azaleas.
In addition, as a rule, these plants vary greatly in size. Most varieties belong to the tree type and are of considerable size, up to 2-3 m in height. Even shrub varieties look quite voluminous both in width and in height reaching one meter. While most azaleas belong to the shrub type and are very small in size from 30 to 60 cm in height.
Otherwise, from a biological point of view, the difference between these species is quite small: they have the same structure of the root system, as well as stems and leaves, and similar requirements for habitat conditions.
How to distinguish an azalea from a rhododendron
The most important difference between azaleas and rhododendrons from a botanical point of view is the number of stamens in their flowers. In azaleas, the number of stamens usually matches the number of petals and never exceeds five. Rhododendrons most often have two stamens per petal, and thus, in most varieties, there are 10 or even more. True, there are exceptions to this rule – two species have only seven stamens in a flower. But in any case, it is more than azaleas.
Otherwise, it is almost impossible for a non-specialist botanist to distinguish an azalea from a rhododendron.
What is the difference between wild rosemary and rhododendron
There are other plants that also sometimes cause confusion in the minds of ignorant people. For example, for some reason it so happened historically that one of the varieties of wild-growing rhododendron called Dahurian, which is found everywhere in the vastness of Eastern Siberia and the Far East, is called wild rosemary.
Of course, wild rosemary also belongs to the same heather family and is an evergreen, but no other similarities are noted.
Moreover, the difference between these two plants is so significant that it is not difficult even for a non-specialist to distinguish them from each other.
- Ledum prefers to grow on wet, swampy soils, it is not for nothing that the people often call it marsh madness, and in translation from Old its name means “growing in a marsh swamp.” Daurian rhododendron is a completely drought-resistant plant.
- Ledum, at least due to its name, has a strong, but at the same time intoxicating smell that can cause a headache. Dahurian rhododendron has a pleasant aroma, slightly reminiscent of strawberries.
- Finally, the flowers of real wild rosemary are always white, and the Daurian rhododendron has a lilac-pink color of flowers.
Nevertheless, despite the big difference in appearance, Dahurian rhododendron is so often called rosemary among the people that this fact was even reflected in Ozhegov’s explanatory dictionary.
Conclusion
The difference between azaleas and rhododendrons is actually so insignificant that these flowers in the modern world have quite rightly been assigned to the same botanical genus. Nevertheless, the traditional approach is also convenient, since it allows them to be separated into different areas of use and cultivation: rhododendrons – to garden forms, and azaleas – to greenhouse-room ones.
