The azalea database purposes are to describe azaleas to support searches to meet landscape needs (the primary data entry page), and with enough detail to identify unknown azaleas (the secondary data entry pages). The pages use menus and fields to describe each of the different characteristics. The minimum data needed to define an azalea are its name and your name.

Anyone can enter data for an azalea that is not in the database, or change or add data for an azalea that is in the database. Before entering data, search for the azalea by name. If it is already in the database, click the Change link to show its existing data on the data entry pages.

Only enter the characteristics you are confident about. Since the general presumption is that any entered data can be trusted, wrong data is much worse than missing data.

Using menus for data entry ensures that the terms stored in the database are the same terms used for searches. The glossary defines the terms used in the menus. Please send an email to the website committee about suggestions for change to the menus or glossary entries .

To use the menus:

• press on the menu to show its entries, drag to select the entry you want, and release the mouse button to choose that entry - it then appears in the menu;
• leave the menu empty if you aren't sure about a characteristic (it may be filled in later when you or someone else learns more about that characteristic)

The text entry boxes are sized to fit the page, and may not show all the text you wish to enter. They can each hold several hundred characters. Use your keyboard arrow keys to move left/right through any hidden text.

Before you click the Enter button to store the data for an azalea, put your name into the updated by text entry box just above it. It is added to an historical record of all the contributors to the description of each azalea.

When you click the Enter button, your data is put into a pending database. After being reviewed for correctness, it is added to the standard database for general use.

name - the name exactly as it should appear, except omit the genus name Rhododendron. Do use the apostrophes normally shown for a cultivar name. Use an initial lowercase letter for species, which must be spelled exactly as in the plant group/species menu. Examples - 'Nancy of Robinhill', alabamense, vaseyi 'April's Rose', 'Nuccio's Sunrise'.

For vegetatively propagated variations named the same as the parent, follow the name with the type of variation (sport, or WB for witches broom). For vegetatively propagated variations named differently, name the parent plant as the seed parent, below, and name the type of variation as the pollen parent, below.

translation or derivation - for non-English names, the name in English. Example (for 'Kairaku') - Joint Pleasure

synonyms - other names for this plant. Examples (for vaseyi) - Pinkshell azalea, (for 'Kazan') - 'Rukizon', 'Kakuba Chinzan'

numbers - any numbers for this plant, including breeder numbers, with initials for well known numbers such as PI for Plant Introduction, BG for Brookside Gardens, PP for Plant Patent. Start with the letters if any, and then the number (no spaces). For other numbers, follow the usage shown in Galle. Examples (for 'Gyokuryu') - BG1145; (for 'Watchet') - T28-10; (for 'Sweet Lorraine') - PP11481

seed parent - name(s) of the seed parent, using the standard parentage style of parentheses around a set of parents and an x between the seed parent and pollen parent. Example (for 'Gallant') - ('Vittata' x 'Louise').

For vegetatively propagated variations named differently than the parent, name the parent as the seed parent and name the type of variation as the pollen parent, below. Example (for 'Kakie') - 'Pryored'.

pollen parent - for a controlled cross, the name(s) of the pollen parent, using the standard parentage style. Example (for 'Gallant') - 'Azuma no Hana'. For other crosses, use op for open pollinated seed (that is, the pollen parent is unknown), or cw for collected wild seed.

For vegetatively propagated variations named differently than the parent, name the parent as the seed parent, above, and name the type of variation as the pollen parent (sport or WB). Example (for 'Kakie') - sport

plant type - evergreen (persistent leaved), deciduous or azaleodendron

blooms appear - when the blooms appear relative to the leaves expanding - useful for deciduous azaleas only

plant group/species - any recognized hybrid group name or species. If you have a new hybrid group name not in the menu, mention that in the comments field, and let the website committee know about it.

native location - for species, the geographical location where they grow naturally. For hybrids, use garden as the location.

The Universal Color Language (UCL) used in these descriptions was defined by the Inter-Society Color Council - National Bureau of Standards. It gives an idea of the named color without reference to color chips, although each name describes a rather broad range of colors. A valid UCL color name can be a value+chroma plus a hue modifier plus a hue; or a value+chroma plus a hue; or a hue modifier plus a hue; or a hue only.

To help ensure common understanding, the UCL uses a very few well understood colors. Other color names that have been used to describe azaleas translate to these UCL colors as:

Color	UCL color		Color	UCL color
amber	brownish yellow		lavender	pale purple
apricot	yellowish orange		lemon	greenish yellow
beige	pale brownish pink		lilac	pale reddish purple
blood red	bluish red		magenta	purplish red
brick red	brownish red		mahogany	reddish brown
bronze	reddish brown		maroon	dark brownish red
buff	brownish yellow		mauve	pale purplish red
burgundy	bluish red		ocher	dark yellow
canary	light yellow		orchid	light bluish red
carmine	purplish red		peach	orangish yellow
cerise	bright red		periwinkle	light blue
chartreuse	pale yellowish green		plum	reddish purple
chestnut	reddish brown		rose	reddish pink
cinnamon	yellowish brown		ruby red	deep red
copper	brownish red		rusty	reddish brown
coral	yellowish pink		salmon	yellowish pink
cream	yellowish white		scarlet	orangish red
crimson	deep red		silver	grayish white
dusty	grayish		strawberry	red
fawn	pale yellowish brown		tan	yellowish brown
fuchsia	reddish purple		tawny	brownish yellow
gold	greenish yellow		vermilion	red
ivory	yellowish white		wine	purple

bloom color - the major color as viewed from a foot or less away. For example, light yellowish pink.

value+chroma - one term for the combined value (lightness, from pale to dark) and chroma (intensity, from grayish to vivid) of the color. Example - the light in light yellowish pink.

hue modifier - the secondary color. Example - the yellowish in light yellowish pink.

hue - the primary color. Example - the pink in light yellowish pink.

synonyms - any known color synonyms. Examples (for light yellowish pink) - salmon, RHS 27C

color variation 1-6 - only use the terms defined on the data entry page to describe color variations, to allow them to be searched reliably. You may add reasonable word endings ("s" for plural, "ed" for past tense, etc.) for improved readability, as the search only looks for the root words.

Describe one variation in one text box. Describe the most obvious variation first, . . . , least obvious variation last. Most of the satsuki variations are pictured in Galle (note that most of these variation names are commonly followed by the term shibori which translates as variation.

To describe a color fading/shading to another color, or with an undertone of another color, use the bloom color menus to describe the major color, and enter the variation color without specifying a pattern. Example (for 'Copperman') - bloom color = deep yellowish pink and variation 1 = shaded orange.

garden color - the overall flower color as viewed from a distance, such as 20 feet away

flower type - as described and pictured in Galle

flower shape - as described and pictured in Galle

flower width - in inches, measured across the flower without flattening it

flower length - measured along the flattened surface of the corolla, from the base of the tube to the tip of the longest lobe,

flower quantity - your description of the floriferousness

flower scent - whether it is musky, sweet or spicy, and the degree of that scent

bloom time - relative times rather than absolute dates, to make it most generally useful regardless of latitude. In middle latitudes of the United States such as the Washington DC area, the periods mean:

• very early = before March 15
• early = between March 15 and April 15
• early midseason = between April 15 and May 1
• midseason = between May 1 and May 15
• late midseason = between May 15 and June 1
• late = between June 1 and July 1
• very late = after July 1

fall bloom - "some" applies to an azalea that has only a few fall blooms, or is not a reliable fall bloomer every year

shape - the overall shape of the plant under normal growing conditions

habit - how dense the plant appears under normal growing conditions

exposure - the sun exposure - leave it empty or use part shade unless you know the azalea can tolerate full sun or full shade

soil - the soil moisture content - leave it empty or use moist unless you know the azalea can tolerate wetter or dryer conditions

height - the height of the plant in feet

width - the width of the plant in feet

at age - the age of the plant when you measured it

min bud hardy zone - lowest average annual minimum temperature, in °F, in which the buds survive without winter damage

min cold zone - lowest average annual minimum temperature, in °F, in which the azalea does well - see temperature for more information

max cold zone - highest average annual minimum temperature, in °F, in which the azalea does well. By convention, USDA cold zones are shown as a min-max range, such as 6-8, and the purpose of the two menus is to specify that range.

max heat zone - maximum annual number of days greater than 86°F - see temperature for more information

min heat zone - minimum annual number of days greater than 86°F. By convention, AHS heat zones are shown as a max-min range, such as 9-4, and the purpose of the two menus is to specify that range.

updated by - your name. Example - Bob Stelloh

petal number - the more common number observed (if several numbers are common, mention that in the comments field later)

petal shape - general shape of a petal

petal base - are the petals widely separated, touching each other, or overlapping near the base

petal margin - the shape of the petal margins

tube flare (useful for deciduous azaleas) - does the tube bend gradually toward the petal tips, or is it an abrupt bend

max stamens - usually 5, or 10 for some plants

min stamens - use this if the number of stamens varies

stamen length - average, from base to tip, in inches

filament color - major color, which may change along the length

anther color - overall color of the anther when the flower opens

pistil length - from base to tip, in inches

style color - major color, which may change along its length

stigma color - overall color of the stigma when the flower opens

calyx length - from petiole to tip, in inches

calyx color - closest match to the menu entries

blotch present - the presence or absence of a blotch on the flower

blooms in truss - number of blooms in an average truss

truss shape - most evergreen azaleas have a flat truss

truss width - average, in inches

truss length - average, in inches

life - usually 1 year, always 1 year for deciduous azaleas

arranged - usually alternate with a whorl at the end = both

scent - usually none

fall color - closest match to the menu entries

glaucous - whether or not the leaves have a bluish-white coating that rubs off easily spring leaves
spring shape - as shown in many garden books

spring tip (shape) - as shown in many garden books

spring base (shape) - as shown in many garden books

spring edges - usually flat

spring length - average length of mature leaves, in inches

spring width - average width of mature leaves, in inches

spring color above - closest match to the menu entries

spring color below - closest match to the menu entries

summer leaves - same as for spring leaves (leave them empty for deciduous azaleas, which only have spring leaves)

As seen with a 10X hand-lens, the presence or absence of hairs and the type of hairs can be very helpful in distinguishing plants from one another. particularly the deciduous azalea species. Hairs may appear pointed (non-glandular = eglandular), or with knobs on the tips (glandular), or both (mixed).

seed pod hairs
hair type - glandular, eglandular or mixed

hair quantity - smooth, few or many

bud scale hairs
margin - here, glandular hairs look like tiny shark teeth, and eglandular hairs look like hairs

surface - relative quantity of hairs on the outer surface

new growth hairs
stem wood - the type of hairs on new growth

bloom hairs
bloom inside - the type of hairs inside the blossom

bloom outside - the type of hairs on the outside of the blossom

calyx margin - the type of hairs on the edge of the calyx

bloom stem - the type of hairs on the flower stem, or pedicel

leaf hairs
spring above - the quantity of hairs on the upper surface of the spring leaves

spring below - quantity on the lower surface

spring margin - type of hairs on the leaf margins

spring stem - the type of hairs on the leaf stems

summer. . . - same questions as for the spring leaves