Morrison Azalea Garden Marker

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Northeast in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Morrison Azalea Garden

By J. J. Prats, April 21, 2007

1. Morrison Azalea Garden Marker

Inscription. Assembled in this garden is a permanent collection of the Glenn Dale Hybrid Azaleas, originated, selected, and named by B. Y. Morrison, first Director of the U.S. National Arboretum.

Erected 1954.

Location. 38° 54.512′ N, 76° 58.277′ W. Marker is in Northeast, District of Columbia, in Washington. Marker can be reached from Eagle Nest Road, N.E. near Azalea Road, N.E. Click for map. Marker is in the National Arboretum, at the southwest entrance to the Morrison Garden. Marker is in this post office area: Washington DC 20002, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 10 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, as the crow flies. Sandstone Sculptures (about 500 feet away, in a direct line); Capitol Columns (approx. 0.2 miles away); National Capitol Columns (approx. 0.2 miles away); Clark Calvin Griffith (approx. 1.1 miles away); Whitney M. Young, Jr. Memorial Bridge (approx. 1.3 miles away); George Preston Marshall (approx. 1.3 miles away); Former Site, Columbian Harmony Cemetery (approx. 1.6 miles away); Mary McLeod Bethune (approx. 1.6 miles away); Battle of Bladensburg (approx. 1.6 miles away in Maryland); Freedmen’s Memorial Monument to Abraham Lincoln (approx. 1.6 miles away). Click for a list of all markers in Northeast.

By J. J. Prats, April 21, 2007

2. Morrison Azalea Garden Marker

Also see . . . A Mountain of Bright Spring Blossoms. (Submitted on April 22, 2007, by J. J. Prats of Springfield, Virginia.)

Additional comments.
1. About the Morrison Garden
(Transcription of the text in Photograph 3.) This garden is named in honor of the late Benjamin Y. Morrison, first director of the U.S. National Arboretum and originator of the Glenn Dale hybrid azaleas. Between 1940 to 1952, 445 cultivars of Glenn Dale azaleas were introduced.

The primary purpose in breeding the Glenn Dale azaleas was to obtain evergreen types with flowers as large and varied as those of the Southern Indian Hybrids but still cold hardy in the mid-Atlantic states. Morrison also wanted to develop a race of azaleas which would bloom from mid-April to mid-June.

Breeding of the Glenn Dales began in 1930 at the U.S. Plant Introduction Station, Glenn Dale, Maryland at the time Morrison was Chief, Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction and Acting Director of the U.S. National Arboretum. Several species and their varieties or cultivars were used in developing

About the Morrison Garden Photo, Click for full size

By J. J. Prats, April 21, 2007

3. About the Morrison Garden

the Glenn Dale azaleas. These included Rhododendron kaempferi, R. mucronatum, R. indicurn, R. phoeniceum, and R. simsii.

As a result of this varied parentage, the Glenn Dales exhibit a wide range of flower size, form and color, blooming time, plant habit and hardiness. There are single, hose-in-hose, semi-double and double forms of flowers. Some cultivars have flowers up to 4¼ inches across. Flower colors are various shades of pink, rose, red, orange, purple, lavender and white, including some with stripes, flecks, variegated margins and throats. By selecting early, mid-season and late flowering Glenn Dales, bloom can be had in the garden from mid-April to mid-June. Plant habit is also variable, from low compact slow growing cultivars to those which are tall, open and fast growing. While bred primarily for the mid-Atlantic region, U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone 7 (0° to 10°F), many cultivars are being grown as far north as Long Island and Connecticut, Zone 6 (-10° to 0° F).

Dedicated May 3, 1954.