Azaleas

Known as “Royalty of the Garden”, Azaleas come in thousands of varieties, each beautiful. Classified as a “species” or “hybrid”, Azaleas are also a very popular type of flowering bush.

When choosing an azalea be sure to choose a plant that has green leaves and lots of flower buds. If the plant is at all weepy or the leaves are limp, this plant will probably not do well and may be diseased. You will discover a wide selection of colors that include red, pink, orange, purple, white, and yellow, depending on the type of Azalea you purchase. What makes the Azalea so unique is the bloom, which varies dramatically on the different varieties, some one-half inch, some five inches.

The number of petals also depends on the type of Azalea. Single flowers typically have five petals although on rare occasion, you might see six. Hose-in-hose flowers can have up to 12 petals while a double hose-in-hose may have 30 or more. Additionally, Azaleas boast different shaped petals, again, depending on variety. The height of this bush ranges from just under one foot to four feet although there are varieties that grow well over 15 feet tall.

Azaleas generally bloom in the spring while some will bloom as late as September but only lasting one to two weeks. Most Azaleas do best with a high degree of shade, preferring slightly acid soil. You also want to keep moisture around the base of the bush, which can be done by using pine bark, wood chips, or pine needles. The most important aspect of growing Azaleas is good drainage. The best solution is to plant the bush so the root ball is exposed above ground by a few inches with the mulching pushed up around it for protection. He balance is that Azaleas also love moist soil at the roots.

Azalea like acid soil and have shallow roots. Pick a spot cooled by partial shade, where the soil is acidic  and well-drained. A good way of providing the necessary drainage is planting azaleas in raised garden beds. Start by amending the soil with decomposed sawdust or pine bark as both are acidic, or simply apply a garden compost. The recommended planting time is late fall or early spring. In either case, water well after planting your  azaleas.

Growing and Care

Fertilize azaleas right after they have finished blooming. Mulching is an essential part of proper care for azalea bushes. The best mulches for azaleas are acidic mulches, such as pine straw.

Pruning of azaleas should occur immediately after they finish blooming

Note: Soil pH should be about 5.5. An overly alkaline  soil can be corrected by applying fertilizers that contain ammonium-N, which will lower soil pH.

Caution: Don't apply fertilizer at the time of planting, new foliage and roots aren't yet ready to handle the high salt content of fertilizer, and they can be burnt.