. Others insist on taking into account the geography of the distribution of parental species involved in hybridization, and the need to classify varieties with widely varying characteristics, despite their deviation from certain standards. One way or another, since the time of Sakamoto, more than 700 Kurum hybrids have been produced, about 300 can be found in Japan, only about 20 are in commercial production. Many historical varieties of Kurum-azali are lost, as are the original Japanese names, hard to reach for the Western world.

In the collection of the Botanical Garden of Peter the Great one of the oldest varieties of kurum azaleas is represented - 'Kirin', which is sold to Western nurseries under two names: 'Daybreak' or 'Coral Bells'; and later varieties: 'Kocho no mai' from Japan; 'Rex' and 'Esmeralda' of European selection.