Fukuoka Now Azalea Guide 2021
Azalea is a shrub with red, pink, and white flowers that bloom from April to June. It is commonly used as a garden and roadside shrub in many parts of Japan since ancient times and introduced in Japan’s oldest collection of
waka poems, the Manyoshu. During the Edo period (1603-1868), when horticulture became popular among the general public, many varieties of azaleas were bred from those growing wild in Kyushu.
There are now more than 2,000 varieties of azaleas. Typical azaleas with flowers and leaves that are smaller than those of the original species include the Kirishima azalea, which was bred from the