Chinese Azalea Sommerduft

The Chinese Azalea 'Sommerduft' is a beautiful slow-growing bush with deciduous foliage. This variety is remarkable for its white flowering, barely tinged with pink, and its pleasant fragrance. Very late compared to other varieties and long-lasting, it starts in mid-spring and ends in early summer. Very hardy, this bush will thrive in a gently sunny or semi-shady position, in slightly moist acidic soil. It is an excellent choice for a small garden, bringing its bright flowering at an unusual time for a Rhododendron.

Azaleas are now classified as Rhododendrons, members of the Ericaceae family, which includes many ornamental genera (Kalmia, Leucothoe, Erica, Calluna, Oxydendrum, Gaultheria, Pieris...) as well as some small fruits (Vaccinium: blueberry, Arbutus: strawberry tree, Arctostaphyllos uva-ursi: bearberry). The Rhododendron genus is very rich in species (about a thousand). It includes evergreen and deciduous species, from miniature bushes to 15-metre (49 feet 2 inches)-high trees. The flowers cover almost the entire range of colours thanks to the numerous horticultural varieties available on the market.

The Rhododendron viscosum is a species native to the eastern United States, where it is indigenous over a large geographical and climatic area, ranging from cold New England (which explains its great hardiness down to -24°C (-11.2 °F), or even lower) to subtropical Florida (which earns it one of its common names, Swamp Azalea). This astonishing range is not its only uniqueness, as it flowers in June-July, which is very unusual, producing flowers with viscous tubes (hence its species name viscosum).

Rhododendron 'Sommerduft' is a commonly classified horticultural hybrid in the Chinese Azaleas. It is a slow-growing bush, growing only about 10cm (3.9in) per year. At maturity, it can reach a height of 1.50 to 1.70m (4ft 11in to 5ft 7in), with a width of 1 to 1.30m (3ft 4in to 4ft 4in). Its deciduous leaves are small, 3 to 5cm (1.2 to 2in) long, obovate (wider near the tip than at the base), and a bright green. Its small flowers 3cm (1.2 in) in diameter are clustered in clusters of 10 to 20 flowers, almost pure white, slightly tinged with pink. The late flowering starts in May and can last until July in cool climates such as Germany. In addition to this duration, it has the attraction of a fairly intense fragrance ('Sommerduft' means summer scent in German...). Very nectar-rich, its flowers delight bees and other pollinators, adding a utilitarian role to its ornamental interest.

The 'Sommerduft' azalea will be ideal for extending the flowering season of a heather bed. You can associate it with many other earlier varieties of Rhododendrons, while summer-flowering plants will further extend the period of full bloom. Combine it with the essential Hydrangeas with large heads (Hydrangea macrophylla), whose spectacular inflorescences will take over until September, in shades of white, pink, red or blue. Then it will be the turn of autumn Camellias, or Camellia sasanqua, whose different varieties will ensure wonderful flowering from September to December. Finally, consider winter-flowering shrubs to animate your bed during the cold days, especially with the sculptural Garrya elliptica with its long pendulous catkins.

Divided into 2 horticultural groups, the Rhododendron genus includes, on one hand, Azaleas from China and Japan, with small persistent or deciduous leaves, and 5 stamens per flower, and on the other hand, Rhododendrons with ample, persistent and glossy foliage, whose flowers have more than 10 stamens. Although highly debatable from a botanical point of view, this classification is still widely used by horticulture professionals.