The Azalea Book   The first definitive text on azaleas was The Azalea Book by Frederic P. Lee. It was published in 1958 by D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., and the copyright is held by The American Horticultural Society. In Lee's words, "the preparation of the manuscript has been a cooperative enterprise." Some of the other contributors were Frederick Coe, John Creech, Francis De Vos, B.Y. Morrison, Henry Skinner, Freeman Weiss, Ernest Cory, Floyd Smith, and Stuart Armstrong ... a pretty impressive group. In 1980, the second edition was reprinted by Theophrastus Publishers in Little Compton, RI. While the Lee book is clearly dated with respect to the subsequently introduced hybrid groups, it is still an excellent technical reference, and a must for your personal library. First editions, second editions, and reprints turn up periodically in second hand book stores.

Azaleas  The current definitive text is Azaleas by Fred C. Galle. Published in 1985 by Timber Press, it was initially intended to be an update of the Lee book. According to Mr. Galle, somewhere along the line he realized that updating the Lee book was not practical, and he abandoned the idea of it being solely an update. It is now in its second edition. Unfortunately, even the Galle book is rapidly becoming outdated with regard to recent hybrids.

The Azalean  One of the reasons to be a member of the Azalea Society of America is to get our quarterly journal, The Azalean (still only $25/year—click Join Us for an application form). It, and to a lesser extent the Journal of the American Rhododendron Society, are the only ways to stay aware of the current hybrids.