Te Botan Formosan Azalea. My start of this cultivar came as a gift from Maarten van der Giessen of Semmes, AL. As far as cultivars go, this is probably the oldest cultivar of any plant on our website. It is a double flowering form of Azalea (Rhododendron) formosana. It has the typical color of the species of the Formosa-type Azaleas, but it appears to be a tad deeper purple, and then of course, the flowers are double. Maarten shared with me that it was his favorite Azalea. After doing research of this cultivar, it is said that it originated in the Edo Period in Japan. sometimes between 1603 and 1868, a period of peace and economic growth, and it brought a period of strict social order after a long time of civil war. "The era takes its name from Edo, the military capital that later became known as Tokyo." Amazingly, as many times as I visited Japan, I never saw this cultivar. Maarten may have gotten his start from a nearby nursery owned by a first generation Japanese gentleman. It is typically vigorous as are most Formosan azaleas. It does well in filtered sun or full sun, if given good moisture.
Zones 7-10
