K-paper

Scientific name Rhododendron schlippenbachii
Kindom/ Plant kingdom
Order/ Dicotyledon
Taxonomy/ Ericales
Family/ Heath family
Flowering period/ april-may
Origin/ Korea
Distribution region/ Korea

Azalea/Korean Rosebay
Scientific name/ Rhododendron Mucronulatum
Kindom/ plant kingdom
Order/ dicotyledon
Taxonomy/ Ericales
Flowering period/ April-Aay
Distribution region/ Korea, Japan, China, Mongolia
Known as the cham flower or azalea

Leon Wyczółkowski – Pink azaleas

“When she is sick of looking at me, i will gracefully send her away without a word” (omitted).

Published in 1925, Sowol Kim’s poetry collection , is famous in Korea even amont elementary school children. Well-known by many people through popular songs, azalea flowers bloom in abundance as much as forsythias in early spring. Pink azalea flowers that bloom a bit earlier than royal azaleas are edible and are neatly places on top of rice cakes. Korean azaleas are mostly seen in mountains and fields while satsukis are more commonly seen in gardens. All of these are in the heath family and originate from Korea.

Royal azaleas are taller than Korean azaleas at 1-2m, and have sticky brown hair on young branches that disappear the next year. The leaves that run across are either oblong or oblanceolate, and the center is flat while both ends are narrow. 2 or 3 purple-red flowers grow at the ends of the branches during April to May. The corolla splits into 5, and the upper floral leaves have scarlet spots with 10 ovules and a long pistil. It is a deciduous shrub originating from Korea and grows in mountains all over the country except hamgyeong-do (naver encyclopedia).

In spring, the flower that blooms as much as forsythias in the park is the rhododendron indicum. Its floriography meaning “first love,” the plant grows less than 1 meter and is in red, white, and pink. Compared to royal azaleas the leaves are smaller and thick, and it is a broad leaved evergreen shrub in the heath family.

Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, t. 7332-7391, vol. 120 [ser. 3, vol. 50]: t. 7373 (1894) [M. Smith]

Abroad, it is easy to see roses, lilies, and cherry blossoms but it is hard to see forsythias and azaleas. Since it is distributed in Korea, it is easy to encounter in our landscape, but there is also an inexplicable feeling of sadness. Carefree yet bashful, it is cute as a newlywed bride. The sadness might be because it resembles our land, which isn’t as grand as china, nor as flashy as japan.