Stone Mountain is a huge granite block in the Atlanta metropolitan area, completely surrounded by the ever-expanding settlements of the huge city. While most people take a cable car up the gigantic rock for the view, we were naturally interested in azaleas. Somewhere in the woods that nestled in a narrow strip around the rock, R. flammeum should be found. First we hiked for quite a while on trails on the south side of Stone Mountain. Here were magnificent colonies of Kalmia latifolia in full bloom. Also R. canescens was to be found more often. After a long search, we found a single azalea that was apparently a natural hybrid between R. canescens and R. flammeum. Its very last flower, already somewhat damaged, was quite large and of a strong, dark magenta-pink color with a yellow blotch. Somewhat disappointed that we had not found any R. flammeum, we set off again. However, as we were driving, after a short while I spotted something of orange color in the passing forest. We stopped and had found a wonderful place where there was not only R. flammeum but also numerous very nice hybrids between R. flammeum and R. canescens. I went to this spot again on 20.4.2022. See also the entry there.
