In addition to being beautiful, the azaleas they are long-lived, cold-tolerant, and have brightly colored flowers. They are among the most valuable shrubs, as they rarely exceed their space and color the garden consistently every year. They can be evergreen, keeping their leaves all year round, or deciduous, in which case their leaves fall off as winter approaches.
Its wide, funnel-shaped flowers come in every shade except blue, including vivid red, orange, and yellow hues, as well as softer pastel pinks and lilacs. Some are bicolor, striped or speckled. Most azaleas have single trumpet-shaped flowers 5 to 7.5 cm in diameter, although some flowers can be up to 12.5 cm in diameter. Some even have extra petals creating double flowers. In addition, a delicious scent is characteristic of certain varieties.
The flowers often stand alone in the joints of the leaves, but they can also appear in clusters, showing no shyness. Varieties that bloom more than once each spring are also available now.
In small backyards, they are ideal as main or ground cover plants as part of your flowerbed designs. Or they can be grown in pots.
How to choose azaleas for your land
Azaleas come in a wide variety of types, although figuring out the differences can be tricky. Check out some of its features below:
deciduous azaleas
Most azaleas are deciduous plants that flower in the spring, losing their leaves in the fall – although some may retain some leaves depending on the climate. Often the foliage turns beautiful shades of burgundy, scarlet, fiery orange, gold and yellow before they fall. That is, after spring flowers, they will add other palettes to your garden.
Deciduous varieties tend to have larger leaves and are more cold tolerant. They also tend to prefer sunny locations. Look for Gable, Ghent or Knap Hill hybrids.
perennial azaleas
Some azaleas have evergreen leaves, so that in winter the plants are still visible in the garden. However, the plants are less cold tolerant than the deciduous types and there is no fall foliage color.
The plants have smaller leaves, need warmer winters and prefer shade – and they never have yellow flowers. Look for Glen Dale, Kaempferi (also known as Exbury) and Kurume hybrids, Encore azaleas and delicate Indicum Hybrids.
When and where to plant azaleas
Azaleas do best planted in late spring or early fall. They should never be planted when the soil is soaked or frozen.
Some types of azalea like full sun, others partial shade. All azaleas, however, need a acidic and limestone-free soil. If rhododendrons and azaleas are already growing in your yard, you can be sure your new azaleas will do just fine.
If you’re not sure about your soil type, test its acidity with a soil pH test kit. Soil acidity is measured on the pH scale, your kit will tell you the level of your substrate. Azaleas prefer a pH of 4.5-6.0. If your soil pH is greater than 6.0, choose a different type of shrub.
They even prefer soil with a high organic matter content, add plenty of compost husks or other fertilizers if needed.
How to plant azaleas
The day before planting them, it is worth fertilizing them with liquid plant food for azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons.
Azaleas have shallow, spreading root systems, so dig a planting hole slightly deeper than the plant’s root ball but twice as wide. Most soils need to be amended with compost, pine bark or other organic material – but not peat, which is a scarce natural resource.
The plant can be placed so that the top of the root ball is slightly below ground level. Fill the hole, firm it well, water generously with more liquid fertilizer, then cover with pine bark to help retain moisture and suppress weeds in the long term.
How to grow azaleas in a sunny location
Some azaleas thrive in sunny locations, some do better in shade, but generally deciduous varieties are more sun tolerant. However, they are not drought tolerant plants or lovers of very hot conditions. Therefore, do not let the azaleas dry out in direct sunlight.
An annual mulch of pine bark in the fall helps the soil retain moisture, but the best advice is to choose varieties carefully. Look for Gable, Ghent and Knap Hill hybrids. Encore and Bloom ‘N Again azaleas are also surprisingly sun tolerant.
How to grow azaleas in the shade
Not only do perennial azaleas appreciate shade, but many need shade as the foliage and flowers can burn in full sun, especially in dry conditions. If the roots dry out in the summer, the plants are less likely to survive the following winter and it can be erroneously assumed that they have been killed by the cold.
However, although they are shade-loving plants, the year-round lack of light is not adequate – partial shade is best. Although perennial azaleas have very little or no fall foliage color, their dark evergreen foliage makes them ideal as main garden plants.
Kurume hybrids are probably the best shade azaleas, also look out for Glen Dale hybrids, Kaempferi (Exbury) and Encore azaleas.
How to care for azaleas
Azaleas are among the best low-maintenance shrubs. They rarely need pruning or trimming, although if growth becomes unbalanced they can be tended to after flowering in late spring or early summer. It is also suggested that flowering azalea varieties be trimmed lightly after spring flowering to encourage later flowering.
Watering in dry conditions is always welcome and it is advisable to give an annual dose of a specific granular fertilizer for azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons, helping to keep your plants growing and flowering well. Doing this at night during the summer is a good tip for saving water in the garden.
An annual mulch of pine bark in the fall will help suppress weeds, retain moisture in the soil, and keep it acidic.
Azaleas that are grown in pots will need regular watering and, if growth is poor, regular doses of liquid plant fertilizer.
A number of pests and diseases can attack azaleas, the best defense is to make sure they are planted in the right place and are growing well. Healthy and happy azaleas suffer far less problems than sick ones.
What is the difference between azaleas and rhododendrons?
All azaleas are rhododendrons, but only some rhododendrons are azaleas. Scientifically speaking, azaleas make up one of the many groups of plants classified as rhododendrons.
They were once classified separately, but no longer. There are certain botanical details that distinguish them from other rhododendrons, but they are not that different.
Are there azaleas that bloom in two different seasons?
Yes, there are now four groups of azaleas that not only bloom in the spring, but also in the late season, bringing more life to your garden beds throughout the year. They are also more cold hardy and more heat tolerant than many varieties.
The best known are the Encore azaleas which bloom in spring, summer and fall. There are now over 30 varieties and they come in a wide range of bright and pastel colors. They can be small (90x90cm) or intermediate (1.2×1.2m).
There are also Bloom-a-Thon (five varieties), ReBloom (six varieties), Bloom ‘N Again (nine varieties), which are more cold-resistant than most, and Perfecto Mundo (six varieties), azaleas which are especially good in spring, but also bloom later.
Why aren’t my azaleas blooming?
- Sun and Shade: Most azaleas prefer four to six hours of sun a day to encourage flowering. However, too much sun will quickly dry them out or burn the leaves, too much shade will encourage poor growth and sparse flowering. Different types also have their own preferences, so check the characteristics of your specimen carefully.
- Watering: Azaleas don’t like drought and also hate soggy soil, try to create a balance and ensure the soil is consistently moist. If you have more than one or two azaleas, consider installing a drip irrigation system.
- Pruning: Pruning shrubs at the wrong time can prevent flowering. It can be tempting to prune in the spring or fall, but this often results in flower buds being cut off. If you decide to prune, do so while the spring flowers are fading. Fertilizer: Application of granular feed in the spring is usually all they need. Plants that look sickly or grow slowly, especially those in pots, may benefit from two or three doses of a liquid fertilizer.
- Weather: Spring frosts can kill new shoots and flower buds. Your azaleas may take time to recover and there will be no flowers. Protect the plants from frost in this delicate phase, cover them with an anti-frost blanket – or even with old sheets.
*Via Gardening Etc