THE “INDIAN AZALEAS” AT MAGNOLIA GARDENS 
E. H. WILSON 
Assistant Director of the Arnold Arboretum 
|lpgjHE: Magnolia Gardens near Charleston, South Carolina, 
are among the remarkable gardens of the South and are 
specially famous for their Azaleas.” So writes Mr. 
Wilson in the Journal of ihe Arnold Arboretum for 
January, 1921, in which he presents the following facts of in¬ 
terest not oniy to gardeners in the South but to lovers and 
growers of Azaleas everywhere: “On April 16th my colleague, 
Allred Rehder, visited these gardens and made herbarium speci¬ 
mens of all the varieties then in flower. The collection is of 
great interest as it represents very completely the ‘Indian 
Azaleas’ known to the gardens of the 40’s and 50’s of last 
century. From most modern gardens these varieties have been 
lost though nearly all are represented in that at Holm Lea, 
Brookline, Mass. 
I “Miss Marie C. Hastie, granddaughter of the founder of 
Magnolia Gardens, obligingly informs us that the first planting 
of Azaleas was made by her grandfather about 1850. The 
importation came by way of Philadelphia and included plants of 
Azalea indica sent for the special purpose of trying them in 
South Carolina. Later, plants were secured from the Berck- 
mans’ Nursery, Augusta, Georgia. Many of the original 
plants are still growing in Magnolia Gardens, and by successful 
layering quantities have been obtained and the collection largely 
increased. The older plants are now much crowded, and the 
largest measure from 16 to 18 feet in height and from 14 to 16 
feet through. 
> “The largest plants are R. phoeniceum G. Don and its forms 
which are richly represented. Apart from the typical species 
there is the form semiduplex Wiis., with double flowers; also one 
with white flowers which 1 have not seen before. Other forms are 
f. splendens Wils. (R. phoeniceum var. splendens D. Don), 
f. Smithii Wils. (R. pulchrum Sweet), which were raised in 
England and introduced into America in 1835 and 1836, and 
var. calycinum Wils. (A. indica calycina Lindl.) with very 
large, rich magenta-colored flowers which was introduced from 
China into England by R. Fortune about 1850. 
“Of the true R. indicum Sweet (Azalea indica L.) several 
color forms are growing at Magnolia, including the famous 
f. variegatum DC. which was introduced into England from 
China in 1833 to Knight’s Nursery and into Boston, Mass., in 
1838. For many years this was not only a favorite exhibition 
plant but was also the parent of many “Indian Azaleas” like 
‘Iveryana’ and ‘Gledstanesii.’ Van Houtte’s Azalea indica 
puntulata and A. indica puntulata variegata, which are figured 
in ‘Flore des Serres’ (XVI. tt. 1618-1621, 1865) and are possible 
hybrids between R. indicum Sweet and R. Simsii Planchon, are 
still in the Magnolia Gardens. So, too, is ‘Azalea Decora’ 
which is probably of the same parentage and has rich red-colored 
flowers. This Azalea was introduced into Boston, Mass.,by 
Marshall P. Wilder in 1848, and its descendants are still in the 
Holm Lea collection. 
“ I he well-known Azalea indica alba or A. ledifolia (R. mu- 
cronatum G. Don) and its colored form (var. ripense Wils.) 
are of course represented at Magnolia by many fine bushes. This 
Azalea was introduced into Boston some time before 1838 and is 
quite hardy in gardens along the Hudson River, New York, and 
on Long Island, where some very fine specimens are known. 
The largest and oldest specimen I know of, however, is in the 
garden of Mr. Henry F. Du Pont, Winterthur, Delaware; this is 
6 ft. 9 inches tall and 12 ft. 2 inches through the crown and has 
been in possession of the Du Pont family since between 1835 
and 1840.” 
WINTERING-OVER TUBBED BOX TREES 
F. B. HANSON 
MffejANY plant lovers possessing specimen Box trees, that 
grow in urns or tubs during the summer, are at a loss 
to know just how to winter them in our northern 
,vL!lPfl climate. The plan of moving both tub and plant 
into the cellar or greenhouse has proved unsuccessful, for it 
usually results in the plant dropping its leaves, and emerging 
in the spring a sorry looking object. As its growth is slow, it 
takes several weeks after it is put out-of-doors for it to pick up 
sufficiently to present any kind of an attractive appearance. 
On the other hand, if the plant is left in its tub or urn, exposed 
to the freezing and thawing of winter, it will be hopelessly dead 
in the spring. 
I he correct and only successful method of wintering a large 
tub specimen, is to remove the tree from the urn, in the same 
manner that you would transfer from a flower crock to the soil. 
Select a shaded location in the garden possessing good drainage, 
and plant your Box tree much the same as you would if it were 
to find a permanent home there. This can be done at any time 
late in November before the ground freezes solid. After seeing 
that it is firmly planted in its winter quarters, wrap the top with 
burlap or straw, so as to keep the leaves entirely protected from 
the sun, as the thawing and freezing of the snow on the leaves of 
the Box is what destroys its foliage. 
In the spring when the frost has left the ground, remove 
the winter covering, dig up the tree, which will not be a 
difficult undertaking as the many roots hold the earth to¬ 
gether, and it will emerge as fresh and green as when planted 
in the fall. 
A SPOT-LIGHT ON DECEMBER, THE PACIFIC COAST ANNUAL 
F UCHSIAS IN PACIFIC COAST GARDENS- The re-establishing under the auspices of Miss Kate O. Sessions of an 
old-fashioned favorite familiarly known as “Ladies Ear-drops” whose drooping grace and diverse hues become window- 
boxes of the East as well as gardens of the West and South. 
CRESTED IRISES by S. Stillman Berry; Albert R. Gould’s SEED SOWING FOR SUCCESSIVE BLOOM and 
SOME UNIQUE BIG TREES by J. L. Collins, of the California Experiment Station, are an interesting trio of themes 
authoritatively presented. 
GARDEN BOOKS OF THE YEAR will pass in review and the harassed shopper also finds timely inspiration in a 
special display of CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THE GARDENER. 
