Kurume Azalea

I just received some information I was waiting for about this Kurume. I love knowing the provenance of trees and this is a pretty cool background.
This is what the seller just sent me.

originally from France then gifted to a park in Philadelphia Pennsylvania where it was used as a shrub in the landscape. Around 70 years ago it was collected by a local priest who is a bonsai enthusiast. Our company purchased it around 10 years ago. This tree is among some 30 or so trees that are from this park and is believed that these azaleas are over 300 years old.
 
JudyB said:
I just received some information I was waiting for about this Kurume. I love knowing the provenance of trees and this is a pretty cool background.
This is what the seller just sent me.

originally from France then gifted to a park in Philadelphia Pennsylvania where it was used as a shrub in the landscape. Around 70 years ago it was collected by a local priest who is a bonsai enthusiast. Our company purchased it around 10 years ago. This tree is among some 30 or so trees that are from this park and is believed that these azaleas are over 300 years old.
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Awesome! That is truly exciting! Philly is a short SEPTA ride from here(rail) - could be one of many parks though.


Grimmy
 
JudyB said:
I just received some information I was waiting for about this Kurume. I love knowing the provenance of trees and this is a pretty cool background.
This is what the seller just sent me.

originally from France then gifted to a park in Philadelphia Pennsylvania where it was used as a shrub in the landscape. Around 70 years ago it was collected by a local priest who is a bonsai enthusiast. Our company purchased it around 10 years ago. This tree is among some 30 or so trees that are from this park and is believed that these azaleas are over 300 years old.
Click to expand...
Wow! Very cool to have that sort of provenance. Congratulations x2!
 
JudyB said:
Ah, but when it blooms... I can't imagine how good it will be. Kurume have smaller blooms, so are a bit more refined in bloom, so it's going to be exciting to see.
I have always liked azaleas, and satsuki, but most are not standouts when not in bloom. This one, and the Kozan satsuki sumo that I got this year can stand on their own without blooms. That's why I finally jumped into the azalea pool.
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Is a really cool looking material should be fun. Azaleas hard to work with can a noob work with em, or should I wait a awhile and get more experience before jumping into them? What zones are they best in Im in zone 8b maybe Zone 9 here in Savannah
 
Rick Walden said:
Is a really cool looking material should be fun. Azaleas hard to work with can a noob work with em, or should I wait a awhile and get more experience before jumping into them? What zones are they best in Im in zone 8b maybe Zone 9 here in Savannah
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If they grow in your yard, they’ll grow nicely in a pot for you.
Judy, that is a COOL story. I’ve heard kurume are (relatively) short-lived, so that is interesting. My kurume is around 60 years old, and I’ve heard 70-80 is about the max.
 
I am super stoked to know about the history of this tree. I can't find the article that I read when I was researching Kurume before I got this, and read that Kurume can live quite a long time. Even though the listing on this said it was very old, I had no idea that it was possible that it would be that old. I just knew I loved the thing... I will continue to look for that article and post it here if I find it @Brian Van Fleet
 
I have heard the same thing, too, Brian. I think it was Joe Day who told me this. Thay had dug some up that were planted around a 60 or so year old building. They survived for another 10 or so years. Not trying to be a buzz kill, Judy, just relaying what I have been told. It is a beautiful tree, wish it were mine.
 
Mellow Mullet said:
I have heard the same thing, too, Brian. I think it was Joe Day who told me this. Thay had dug some up that were planted around a 60 or so year old building. They survived for another 10 or so years. Not trying to be a buzz kill, Judy, just relaying what I have been told. It is a beautiful tree, wish it were mine.
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It would be really interesting to find out what park this shrub came from and more detailed information, I imagine it'll be difficult to do. I do think that the entity that I got it from is being completely honest about what they know to be true, they have no reason to inflate the info as I had already bought the tree a couple months ago and they only now had time to get back to me after I asked for history. I imagine it's at least no younger than 100, as I imagine the priest would know when he collected it, and it's been in BIC's hands for 10 more years after. I can't imagine that you'd collect anything younger than at least a 10 year old shrub...

I have seen one small mention of 200+ year old azaleas in Japan in an article when I was hunting. I will try to research more just for my own curiosity. I'm not that intent on it being such an old tree, it's not super important to me, but it's such an interesting idea that it came from France in the beginning to a park in Philly.
 
Hey, if that’s the story that came with the tree, that’s the story I’d be going with! Provenance is half the fun.
I can tell you that in the 15 years my kurume has been in a pot, the trunk hasn’t thickened up at all, so yours had to bulk up somewhere, and over a long period of time.
 
JudyB said:
It would be really interesting to find out what park this shrub came from and more detailed information, I imagine it'll be difficult to do.
Click to expand...

It would be even more interesting to find old photos of the Park online. I am pretty certain it has been long since built over which is just progress but hey worth looking into a bit. Could be you could determine it better with a name of the Priest which could put you in a general area as well ;) Still a lovely acquisition :)

Grimmy
 
I have sent along a question as to which park this was collected from if they know. Also asked if the priest would mind an inquiry about the tree he made.
 
JudyB said:
I have sent along a question as to which park this was collected from if they know. Also asked if the priest would mind an inquiry about the tree he made.
Click to expand...

There is a large Historic archive giving the history of the Park(s) there and it can be viewed by appointment, copies made, etc... There is a guide to where the information is located online here http://www.phila.gov/ParksandRecreation/history/historicarchives/Pages/FindingAids.aspx. I am guessing if contact them they would simply send you any information in the form of copies for a nominal fee. Provided of course you figure out the Park name ;) Hoping you do honest :)

Grimmy
 
Once it gets going I will make sure to get some good photos. This tree will be good even after flowering, that’s what drew me to it to begin with, but flowers are such a bonus.
 
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