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Did you know that azaleas actually arerhododendrons ? As “ The Plant Book , ” edited by Susan Page and Margaret Olds , notes , “ There are three primary class of rhododendrons , namely : azaleas ( deciduous and evergreen ) ; tropical or vireya rhododendron ; and the temperate mood plants we might call ‘ true rhododendrons . ’ ” The leaves of azalea Dubya might be narrow than the often enceinte and leathery foliage of a “ genuine ” rhododendron bush . However , like “ rhodies,”azaleas trumpet their virtueswith showy , often horn - shape , blooms that appear in outpouring or other summer with a repeat performance in fall for Encore type .
Although rhododendron care is similar , this clause will distribute with azalea care specifically , so uphold reading to learn everything you need to know about how to grow azalea .
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Growing Azaleas at a Glance
Common Name : AzaleaScientific Name : Rhododendron spp . Hardiness Zone : USDA zones 4 through 12Soil : Well - draining , pH 4.5 to 6Light : Bright shade or partial sunWater : Constantly moistFood : Fertilizer for acid - loving plantsPropagation : LayeringSafety : Toxic
AzaleaCharacteristics
accord to the Azalea Society of America , azaleas can vary in height from a 1 - foot dwarf cultivar to a 10 - foot azalea tree . They come in both deciduous andevergreen assortment , with the latter generally being smaller in size of it . Even those are n’t entirely evergreen , however , since they will drop their springiness foliage in fall but hold onto their more leathery summer leaves over winter .
Deciduous azaleas often can be grow in full sun in the North , where they ’ll appropriately run toward sunnier hues such as icteric and orange , while evergreen types generally wo n’t tolerate that much light . Deciduous sort also tend to be hardier than the evergreens . Azalea peak , now and then fragrant , vary in diam from 1/4 inch to 5 inches and are available in almost every specter except true blue . reckon plantingendangered typeslike the flame azalea .
Recommended Azalea Varieties
PlantingAzaleas
When embed azaleas , keep in nous that their hunky-dory , shallow roots wo n’t deal well withrocky or compact soils .
When is the best time to plant azaleas?
Plant your azaleas in late spring or early fall . If your land is very heavy mud , build an 8 - in to 1 - foot tallraised bedon top of it , filled with two parts undercoat pine tree bark oroak leaf compostcombined with one part common sand and one part garden soil .
Where can azaleas grow?
opt a position for your azalea garden that has well - draining grunge with a pH between 4.5 and 6 and that is protected from south and west winds by buildings or other plants . The site should receive only bright shade , mottled sun , or morning sun . Avoid institute azaleas near cementum , which raisessoil pH scale , or at the breaking wind - whipped corner of buildings .
How do you plant azaleas?
Can you grow azaleas in containers?
Due to their shallow root word organisation , azaleasgrow well in containersand often are sold as potted talent works — specially around Easter . Keep in brain , though , that “ florist ” azalea eccentric broadly speaking descend fromRhododendron simsii , which only will be hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11 . If transplant into the garden in lower zones , they are n’t potential to pull round .
They can bedifficult houseplant , but are n’t impossible to produce indoors if you keep azalea ’ preferences in mind . See “ make Azaleas for Winter ” below .
Watering Azaleas
Azaleas should receive at least an inch of rainwater per week or its equivalent , sooner via cloudburst hose ordrip irrigation . While you should never allow the plants ’ ancestor balls to dry out out totally , mind that sogginess can get root rot in azalea . Because of this , it ’s a good estimation to tot several inches of an organic mulch likepine strawor chop bark to azalea beds to serve exert moisture withoutoverwatering .
The soil of a potted indoor azalea plant also should be kept light dampish at all time . Use rainwater or spring water , if possible , so that hard hydrant water does n’t edulcorate the soil .
FertilizingAzaleas
These bush generally can receive most of the nutrients they want from their soil . However , you might require to fertilize them lightly a brace times per year , in former spring and early summertime with anacidic organic fertilizer such as 4 - 3 - 4 . Never feed them after midsummer , however . If you designate to uprise azalea in soil that is n’t acidulous enough , you might ask to enforce sulfur or iron sulphate to that stain several months in advance to “ sour ” it .
fertilise houseplant azaleas during summer only , following the directions on the container . Opt for a H2O - soluble food for thought for acid - loving plants that comprise Fe .
PruningAzaleas
Azaleas do n’t require theremoval of faded flower trussesthat true rhododendrons do . However , if you want to cut your azalea bush back a act , do so just after the plant has blossom — before the calendar month of July .
Should it have grown so sure-enough and scraggly that you prefer to try out a more drastic greening , cut azalea back to within 6 to 12 inches of the ground in former spring , preserve in psyche that such a scalping will eliminate all flowers that year . Once raw shoot are a foundation tall , hook out their tips to force them to fork out .
Propagating Azaleas
belike the easiest way to propagate an azalea is bylayering . To render that , bend a branch down to the ground without detach it from the bush . Scrape a small barque off of that branch and souse the de - barked area withrooting hormonebefore pinning it down in a shallow trench and shroud it with an inch or two of grease . The part of the subdivision that ’s underground should make roots within a year or so , after which point it can be detach from its mother shrub .
Safety Considerations
All rhododendrons , admit azalea , areextremely toxic to people , beast , and Pisces . However , livestock — specially sheep and goats — are more likely to graze on them than your tike or positron emission tomography are . For that understanding , you ’ll desire to keep the scrub well away from pasturage and , of course , from fishponds .
Symptoms of poisoning in both brute and humankind can include regurgitation , drooling , and diarrhea , as well as weakness and paralysis . Keep in nous that nectar from rhododendrons also can turn in honey toxic .
Potential Pests and Diseases
Root rotin azaleas causes wilt disease that appear interchangeable to that brought on by drought , but it actually indicate that too much water has caused the roots to decay . In that case , there is little hope of saving the plant .
greensickness , in which an azalea bush ’s foliage are chickenhearted with gullible veining , broadly indicates that the solid ground is too alkaline , preventing the ingestion of minerals such as iron or manganese . you could acidify the soil with iron sulfate , but it might take month to assimilate . For a faster — but only temporary — solution , spray iron or manganese chelates directly onto the foliage .
Preparing Azaleas for Winter
If you wish well to ram a houseplant azalea to bloom again , leave it out belatedly in fall until it has experienced 6 to 8 week of nighttime temperature between 40 and 50 point Fahrenheit . Take it indoorsbefore those temperatures drop below freezing , placing it atop a humidity tray in a cool , airy position where it receivesbright indirect lightand temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees .
Should your outdoor azaleas be planted in a positioning shielded from wind — as detailed under “ Planting Azaleas ” above — and mulched with 2 to 3 inch of chopped bark , it probably wo n’t need any additional protective cover to remain evergreen .
look for more anthesis shrubs ? Check out our templet on growingbutterfly bush , hibiscus , andshrubs that thrive in full sun .
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