The Azalean / Summer 2016 • 25 President’s Letter J Jackson—Trade, Tennessee Dear Azalea Friends, As summer approaches here in the Blue Ridge a wonderful spring season brings us waves of flowers and luxuriant green leaves in the woods. The transition from spring to summer here in the southern Appalachians is always “magical.” Most of my days this time of year are spent gardening and walking around looking at plants, at the same time identifying and labeling them. It is likely that many of you are enjoying similar activities. The Azalea Society of America, organized The 2016Williamsburg convention was well attended, educational, and a great December 9, 1977 and incorporated in the pleasure to attend. Many thanks to the Northern Virginia Chapter (ASA), The District of Columbia, is an educational and scientifi c non-profi t association devoted to Middle Atlantic Chapter (ARS), and the Potomac Valley Chapter (ARS) for all the culture, propagation, and appreciation the time and effort put forth to provide an excellent convention experience. There of azaleas which are in the subgenera Tsu- were beautiful gardens, great speakers and a most amazing plant sale! Spending tsusi and Pentanthera of the genus Rhodo- time with old friends and meeting new friends is a good reason to mark these dendron in the Heath family (Ericaceae). conventions on your calendars and make plans to attend. Offi cers for 2015-2017 The BOD had a successful business meeting and the minutes are posted on President — J Jackson our ASA website for all interested members. Gaining and retaining members is a Vice President — Barbara Stump perennial subject that the BOD works toward. Secretary — Leslie Nanney Attracting younger members through affiliations with educational institutions, Treasurer — Paul Beck arboreta, and other gardening groups is a productive path that is being pursued. Immediate Past President — John Migas Introducing young people to the wonderful world of azaleas is an activity we can Directors all participate in. For example, note photo below showing that Chris Wetmore’s Terms expire 2017 Terms expire 2018 son Clayton has already picked up the recent copy of The Azalean, without any Miles Beach Larry Miller prodding from his parents! Bart Brechter Jo Ann Smith Lindy and I are looking forward to our summer treks in the mountains and Joe Coleman Chris Wetmore visiting friends in their gardens. Chapter presidents serve as ex-offi cio directors. Best regards, Chapters J Ben Morrison Northern Virginia (chartered May 1980) (chartered May 1980) Budne Reinke, Pres. Rick Bauer, Pres. Louisiana Tri-State (chartered June 1981) (chartered Oct. 1981) Allen Owings, Pres. Beverly Knight, Pres. Texas Vaseyi (chartered May 1989) (chartered June 2001) Mary Beth Hagood, Pres. Audrey Stelloh, Pres. Lake Michigan Alabamense (chartered May 2003) (chartered May 2005) Open, Pres. Patrick Thompson, Pres. Southern California Rev. John Drayton (chartered March 2007) (chartered May 2010) Jim Jaeger, Pres. Tom Johnson, Pres. Cape Fear Central Carolinas (chartered October 2013) (chartered October 2013) Open, Pres. Sandy Yakob, Pres. At-Large Contact Chris Wetmore Regular membership is open to all interested parties for an annual amount of $30; life-mem- bership for one or two persons at the same ad- dress is $600. Members receive The Azalean and are eligible for participation in all activities of the Society. For information and a member- ship application, write to Leslie Nanney, Secre- tary, 8646 Tuttle Road, Springfi eld, VA 22152 or Photo Chris Wetmore visit www.azaleas.org. 26 • The Azalean / Summer 2016 In This Issue VOLUME 38 NUMBER 2 SUMMER 2016 Editor Features Barbara Stump 28 Propagating Multi-Patterned Satsuki Editorial Advisory Board Charles Andrews III By Jim Trumbly—Roseville, California Aaron Cook William C. Miller III 31 Azalea Research Foundation Project Progress Report Donald H. Voss By Juliana Medeiros—Kirtland, Ohio Advertising [email protected] 38 “Legends and Legacies” Joint 2016 ARS-ASA http://azaleas.org/adinfo.html Convention Report Graphic Design By Barbara Stump and Sherrie Randall— Pam Fitch Nacogdoches, Texas The Azalean (ISSN-1085-5343) is published quarterly (spring, summer, fall, and winter) by the Azalea Society Society News of America, Inc., Leslie Nanney, Secre- tary, 8646 Tuttle Road, Springfi eld, VA 25 President’s Letter 22152. 32 Exceptional Service Awards Presented to Three Hard To order copies: Send a check pay- able to the ASA Treasurer, to The Aza- Working ASA Members lean, 115 Hunters Lane, Yorktown, VA 33 In Memory: James Bowie McCeney 1941 – 2016 23692. Please include $2 per copy for US delivery, $4 per copy for Canada or By William C. Miller III—Bethesda, Maryland Mexico, and $7 per copy for overseas delivery. 34 Chapter News and New Members Opinions and views expressed in The 35 Recognizing Generous ASA Members Azalean are those of the contributors or editor, not necessarily those of the By Paul A. Beck, Treasurer —Oak Hill, Virginia Society, and are presented to foster a wider appreciation and knowledge of 36 Actions Taken to Address Operating Fund Shortages azaleas. Advertisements are presented as a service to readers and do not imply By Paul A. Beck, Treasurer —Oak Hill, Virginia endorsement by the Azalea Society of America. On the Cover Copyright 2016 by the Azalea Society ‘Kirin-no-Kagami’ is a multi-patterned of America. Permission to reprint any Satsuki exhibiting both radial and concentric portion of this volume must be granted flower patterns. Some flowers can even in writing by the Society. show both types of patterns superimposed. Careful propagation is required to Address editorial and business corre- reproduce a similarly diverse plant. Due spondence to: to its smaller (2”-diameter) flower size, Editor, The Azalean and many patterns and colors, ‘Kirin-no- 101 S. Sanders Street Kagami’ is best used in situations where it Nacogdoches, TX 75964 can viewed up close, such as on a patio in E-mail: [email protected] a patio-planter, or a table-top pot. Photo by Jim Trumbly. Society Web-site: www.azaleas.org Mail list: [email protected] Printed By: Complete Printing Carthage, Texas The Azalean / Summer 2016 • 27 Propagating Multi-Patterned Satsuki By Jim Trumbly—Roseville, California Ed. Note, thanks to Don Voss: To learn much more about Satsuki history, hybrids, families, and terminology, see Jim Trumbly’s 2001 article in The Summer 2001 issue of The Azalean. A longer list of references to Satsuki articles and research will be shown in a complete list of Azalean references in a sidebar in the Fall 2016 issue of The Azalean as additional information with another article about Satsuki. These articles are available on the ASA website through the Archives feature and can be viewed as a pdf, ordered, or downloaded. Also note, that while Jim is focusing on Satsuki propagation for specific characteristics of blooms on Satsuki azaleas here, his approach could be used with selecting propagation material from any azalea variety that can have multi-patterned blooms. Photo Jim Trumbly Photo Jim hose who enjoy propagating ▲ Figure 1. Concentric Patterns: a- sokojiro, b- fukurin, c- tamafu, with faint spot in Tnew plants follow methods that center of petals, d- tsumabeni with color at the outer end of petals. have been well described in several places. However, those who have name because of propagation practices. This may be because they are unaware of tried propagating from multi-patterned the importance of flower pattern dominance in propagation, or they are indifferent Satsuki may have experienced less than to it and don’t invest the extra effort. satisfactory results. By that I mean the resulting clones do not develop into Flower Pattern Dominance plants that exhibit the full range of flower Written descriptors of the many different Satsuki flowers include striped, patterns shown by the parent plant. This speckled, streaked, sectored, sanded, selfed, solid, white centered, bordered, those can be avoided by understanding the with irregular white margins, and more. The Japanese have named and described dominance of different flower patterns over 20 different patterns. Many of these are illustrated in Galle. [See Sources List and then incorporating that into the below.] However, from the standpoint of propagation it is not necessary to learn shoot-selection step in propagation. every flower pattern, because all flowers can be simplified into three hierarchical Propagators who are not concerned groups of dominance. These are, from most dominant to least: 1) solid colored about the results and just enjoy making selfs, 2) concentric patterns, and 3) radial-patterned flowers. new plants with attractive flowers Solids are the type of flowers on non-patterned azaleas. When they occur needn’t be concerned. However, the among the flower types of multi-patterned Satsuki, they are referred to as selfs. resulting plants would not be the same They are the strongest flower type and over time can increase their dominance on as the named cultivar. For example, a a plant. The exception to this is an all-white flower, which is nearly always the shoot taken from the multi-patterned least dominant. ‘Kirin-no-Kagami’ that developed into Concentric patterns are very common in most multi-patterned Satsuki and a plant with only one or two types dominant over radial-patterned forms. They consist of coloration in circular of flowers would not be considered patterns on a white or off-white base. These are illustrated in Figure 1, along with a ‘Kirin-no-Kagami’, at least to the the Japanese terminology. Japanese or Satsuki collectors here in The concentric flower sokojiro has a white or off-white center and colored the U.S. margin (see Figure 1-a.) It is common in many multi-patterned Satsuki. Because More significantly, I have been to of its dominance, some named Satsuki consist of just sokojiro flowers with an several commercial nurseries that sell occasional self.