April 2025 – Southern Fusion Cooking

Florida Flame Azalea

The color for today is yellow.

Above is an impressive specimen of the Florida Flame Azalea (Rhododendron austrinum) that is estimated to be somewhere between 15 to 18 feet tall. Its native range is southern Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and northern Florida. Despite its Deep South home, it is hardy all the way into USDA hardiness zone 6a.

This plant is just off of the northern side of our deck, which is about twelve feet tall above the patio below. It is good couple to five feet above that level, which is the basis for the estimated height. I planted it around twenty years ago.

Unlike many native azaleas, these are reliable bloomers year after year–none of that one year on, one year off behavior. It only needs a little supplementary water every summer in order to be happy. And when it is happy, every Spring you will be happy as well.

First Native Rhododendron Blooms

Rhododendron Flammeum

We have a new winner for the earliest blooming native Rhododendron, Oconee Azalea (Rhododendron Flammeum). The usual winner, year after year, is the pink to white Piedmont Azalea (Rhododendron canescens). This year, it was a virtual tie.

Why this year? We had a cold spell in mid February which set back the Piedmont azaleas. Then we had a warm March which brought the Oconee azaleas on fast. Another factor could be the placement of this particular Oconee azalea. It’s very sheltered from the north by a large Camellia, and from the east by our brick oven. To the northwest is our tall house. There could hardly be a location better than that.

Time for a close up:

The color is not quite as red as the picture, but it is pretty close. Our other Oconees, which are about to bloom, are more orange and yellow than this one. However, as red is my favorite color, this blooming first gets Spring off with a bang.

Do You Have Your Potatoes In The Ground Yet?

Taters, Precious

My late, lamented Mother in Law Agnes Olga always had the same question for us during any February visit—“Do you have your potatoes in the ground yet?” She always had the same look of disappointment when we answered no.

This year I finally got organized and planted potatoes early, on Groundhog’s Day. (For any foreigners, that’s on February 2.) We had a couple of hard freezes after that, but nothing a row cover couldn’t handle.

These two ten gallon grow bags are Russet (large) potatoes. We have an additional three grow bags of fingerling potatoes, two of which are also coming up. The third can’t be far behind.

These potatoes should be enough to get us through the summer. There will be some sorely disappointed farmers at the Festhalle farmer’s market.

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