Kyushu Azalea Colony

The Kyushu azalea is a flower in the heath family, seen only in the high mountains of Kyushu. The pink flowers carpeting entire mountainsides are a sight unique to spring in Aso.
The ability to form large colonies is limited to locations with a severe growing environment for plants, such as rocky areas with extreme soil dryness like in the volcanic belt, and exposure to cold, strong wind.
In ordinary environments, the Kyushu azalea loses out in competition with other plants, and thus it lives by enduring severe environments where it is difficult for other plants to grow.