what is an azalea bush

How much do azalea bushes cost?

How Much Do Landscapers Charge to Plant Shrubs? Landscapers charge $25 to $50 per shrub to purchase and install them. They figure the price based on 2 to 3 times the cost of the shrub plus $50 to $100 per hour. Shrubs are priced per a 3 gallon or 5 gallon container and tend to be small bushes and trees.

Should you cut back azalea bushes?

Types of Pruning

• Radical Pruning/Cutting Back. For older azalea plants, something more than basic pruning is required. ...
• Rejuvenating Pruning. Young and flourishing azalea plants will rapidly grow to devour any space available to them. ...
• Maintenance Pruning. The ‘maintenance’ word probably gives you a clue as to why gardeners undertake this type of pruning.

What grows well with azaleas?

• Firebush.
• Beautyberry.
• Buttonwood.
• Saw Palmetto.
• Longleaf Pine.
• Spiderwort.
• Seagrapes.
• Bluestem Palmetto.

Do azalea bushes come from Blub or start from seeds?

You can grow azaleas from seeds, but that’s not your best bet if you want your new plants to resemble the parent. The only way to be certain you’ll get clones of a favorite azalea is to propagate them vegetatively from azalea stem cuttings. Read on for information about azalea plant propagation, including how to root azalea cuttings.

Do azalea bushes last all year?

Azalea Origin & Varieties Originally, azaleas bloomed only once a year, in spring. But hybridizers have developed reblooming azaleas, such as the Encore® brand and other varieties that bloom in the spring and again throughout the summer.

Are azaleas a good plant?

Good Azalea Care: Azaleas, Noteworthy Shrubs For Any Garden. Nothing is more beautiful than an azalea shrub in spring bloom. These easy-care shrubs come in so many colors it's hard to find one that doesn't suit your needs. Azaleas can be grown in nearly any garden, instantly adding interest and color to drab areas.

What type of plant is azalea?

ShrubsGuide InformationHardiness4 - 10 What's My Zone?Plant TypeShrubsPlant FamilyAzaleas - Rhododendrons, Rhododendrons - AzaleasExposurePartial SunSeason of InterestSpring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall10 more rows

How big does an azalea bush get?

How big do they grow? Azaleas come in thousands of varieties and can grow to be 10 feet tall or dwarf varieties that only reach a foot or two.

Where's the best place to plant an azalea?

Where to Plant Azaleas. Select a location that has morning sun and afternoon shade, or filtered light. Hot all-day sun can stress the plants and make them more susceptible to pests. Azaleas also require well-drained, acidic soil.

Do azaleas prefer sun or shade?

Azaleas do well in full sun or part shade (about four hours of sun). Planted in full sun, azaleas will be more compact and floriferous. When planted in part shade, they will stretch toward the sunlight and form a more graceful habit; flowers will not be as plentiful but will last longer.

Is an azalea a bush or tree?

About Growing Azalea Flower Bush in Your Yard An Azalea bush is a popular flowering bush and foundation plant, with bright spring blooms. The bushes are native to Asia, Europe, and North America., Azaleas bushes are members of the Rhododendron family and share many common traits.

Is azalea a bush or flower?

flowering shrubsAzaleas are one of the most popular flowering shrubs, with hundreds of varieties that come in a range of forms and sizes. A type of Rhododendron, azaleas bloom primarily in spring, though some cultivars rebloom later in the growing season.

What does azalea's look like?

Azaleas usually have smaller, funnel-shaped flowers, while rhododendrons' larger flowers are more bell-shaped. Although azaleas tend to bloom earlier, both rhododendrons and azaleas typically bloom in the spring, with some varieties blooming into summer and fall in some locations and climates.

What do azaleas look like in winter?

These symptoms normally are descriptive of an “end-of-the-growing-season” look. Some azaleas, like the popular Fashion variety, have bronzy to purple-looking foliage in the winter. All evergreen azaleas go through a stage when old foliage is being lost and new foliage is emerging for spring.

What month do azaleas flower?

The Azalea is a garden plant with many faces that looks fantastic in almost any garden, from hyper-minimalist to natural. The plant flowers profusely and elegantly in May and June with romantic flowers in white, pink, red or burgundy, but there are also varieties with bi-coloured flowers.

What is the best time of year to plant azaleas?

The best time to plant azaleas is in spring and fall. Plant them in a sunny spot that gets a good amount of afternoon shade. When planting azaleas, fill the hole with a 50/50 blend of existing soil and Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Trees & Shrubs.

Are azaleas low maintenance?

If properly planted, azaleas are low-maintenance plants. Follow these tips: Pruning: Azaleas need little pruning, but you can shape up your azaleas right after they bloom.

Are azaleas hard to keep alive?

Technically, so-called 'azaleas' are rhododendrons. Although the indoor species originates from India, there are hundreds of hardy evergreen varieties that make superb outdoor plants, either potted or in the ground. And unlike the houseplants, they're difficult to kill.

What conditions do azaleas like?

Although most will grow in open, sunny situations they prefer semi-shade and a cooler growing conditions. The light shade under birch trees or other trees with a light canopy is ideal, as long as the soil is not too dry. They are particularly useful in small, shaded gardens when grown in pots and containers.

How many years do azaleas live?

Azalea bushes can live for 50 years with proper care. Azaleas are a subgenus of flowering shrubs that can grow up to 6 feet in height and produce numerous large flowers in colors of pink, purple, red or white. They bloom during the spring and can be deciduous or evergreen, depending on the species.

Azalea Care Guide: How to plant, grow, and care for azaleas

It’s difficult to think of a southern garden without envisioning azaleas graciously and vibrantly sweeping through the background. They are arguably one of the most popular ornamental shrubs in the South, along with our beloved hydrangeas. But azaleas aren’t just for Southerners to enjoy.

1. Azalea vs. Rhododendron: What's the difference?

Sometimes people get confused about the difference between an azalea and a rhododendron. That’s because an azalea is always a rhododendron, but a rhododendron is not necessarily an azalea. The confusion really lies with how they are named—specifically, their common names.

2. How to use azaleas in garden design

Azaleas are really a utility player in the garden. They provide both striking beauty when they are in bloom as well as a very reliable evergreen backdrop to help other plants shine throughout the year. Because of the many varieties available to choose from, you can probably find an azalea that meets almost any of your ornamental shrub design needs.

3. Where, when, and how to plant azaleas

Azaleas are an extremely hardy shrub. In fact, I include them on my list of “bullet-proof plants” when talking to clients. But there are certainly things you can do to ensure a happier and healthier plant. Here are a few things to keep in mind from the get-go.

4. How to water, mulch, and fertilize azaleas

Once you have your azaleas in the ground make sure to give them what they need to thrive going forward.

5. When, why, and how to prune azaleas

If you’re looking to keep your azaleas their happiest … and you too (i.e., more flowers and less maintenance), it’s critical to understand when, why, and how to prune them.

6. Common Azalea Questions or Challenges

You shouldn’t have many problems if you care for your azaleas as outlined above. They are extremely hardy and easy to take care of. However, as with all plants, you could run into a number of problems or have some questions about their health. The questions that my clients ask me about most are outlined below.

Where is the Sobaeksan azalea?

Sobaeksan, one of the 12 well-known Sobaek Mountains, lying on the border between Chungbuk Province and Gyeongbuk has a royal azalea ( Rhododendron schlippenbachii) festival held on May every year. Sobaeksan has an azalea colony dotted around Biro mountaintop, Gukmang and Yonwha early in May. When royal azaleas have turned pink in the end of May, it looks like Sobaeksan wears a pink Jeogori (Korean traditional jacket).

Is azalea honey toxic?

In addition to being renowned for its beauty, the azalea is also highly toxic—it contains andromedotoxins in both its leaves and nectar, including honey from the nectar. Bees are deliberately fed on Azalea/ Rhododendron nectar in some parts of Turkey, producing a mind-altering, potentially medicinal, and occasionally lethal honey known as " mad honey ".

Azalea Grow Guide

There are thousands of varieties, hybrids, and wild species of azaleas and rhododendrons.

Most Popular Azalea Varieties

Formosa Azalea: The Formosa Azalea features bright, lavender-pink blooms with blotches of darker pink shades throughout the petals.

What Is An Azalea Bush?

Azaleas are evergreen or deciduous broadleaf flowering plants from the Ericaceae family. These plants are very similar to the familiar rhododendrons and are in fact from the same genus. The usual distinction is simply that azaleas tend to be smaller plants with smaller leaves.

Azalea Flowers

Azalea flowers come in a variety of colors, but white, pink and red are the most common shades. Yellow and orange options are also available. Flower color varies a lot with these plants, however, even between different cultivars of the same species. Flower color can even vary on the same plant.

Popular Azaleas Varieties

There is a great variety (thousands) of different azaleas available to gardeners. They can be either naturally occurring species or hybrids between more than one species. These beautiful plants come in all different shapes and sizes, to suit just about any application.

How To Grow Azaleas Plants

These azaleas plants can be grown from seed but will not necessarily look the same as the parent plant since many of the azaleas you are likely to come across are hybrids. Cuttings will be a far more reliable way of propagating new plants with specific characteristics.

Care and Maintenance

You can plant azaleas at any time of the year, although plants will need some extra care while dealing with the heat after a spring or summer planting. Prune this plant as soon as the flowers start to die off. This will prevent removing the next season’s buds and encourage better flowering the following season.

Azalea Plants Uses

Azaleas are a wonderful plant for bright, colorful spring and summer displays. Their preference for shady areas means they are ideal for brightening up gloomy parts of the garden that usually don’t hold much interest.

What is the botanical name of an azalea?

The botanical names of azaleas often include ‘ rhododendron’ in the name. For example, one of the azaleas that belong to the Encore Azalea Series has the botanical name Rhododendron ‘Autumn Chiffon’. So, while all azaleas are a subspecies of rhododendrons , not all rhododendrons are azaleas.

What color are azaleas?

Azalea flowers come in shades of orange, yellow, purple, red, pink, and white colors. Some spectacular types of azaleas have gorgeous flowers with large bi-colored petals and protruding stamens. There are over 800 species of azaleas with more than 10,000 different types.

How big do azaleas get?

This compact azalea variety, named the ‘Princess Anne,’ is one of the prettiest dwarf azaleas in the rhododendron genus. The bush grows to 2 or 3 ft. (60 – 90 cm) and has an array of bright blossoms. Pale yellow-green flowers that are in the shape of a funnel have long white, red-tipped stamens protruding. The azalea flowers are about 1” (2.5 cm) across and can brighten up any part of your garden.

How big do azaleas get in spring?

Large yellow flowers on the azalea Calendulaceum really brighten up gardens in springtime. Vibrant yellow azalea blooms can be up to 2.5” (6 cm) across. Some cultivars of this species can also have orange, bright red, or sunshine yellow blooms. These cold-hardy deciduous azaleas are easy to grow from seed.

How tall does an azalea grow?

The ‘Autumn Chiffon’ azalea produces elegant white and pink blooms that contrast with the dark green leaves. The large flowers grow up to 2.75” (8 cm) across and are pale pink with dark pink centers. Similar to other ‘Encore’ azaleas, this azalea type doesn’t grow taller than 3 ft. (90 cm) and is a dense evergreen plant.

What is the name of the evergreen azalea in the Encore series?

Another evergreen azalea in the Encore Series is the ‘Autumn Sunburst.’ This beautiful shrub produces showy, semi-double flowers in the spring. The large blooms are in coral-pink with white ruffled edges. As with all Encore Series Azaleas, they bloom sporadically from spring until the first frost.

How big does a Formosa Azalea grow?

These types of flowers have a papery, ruffled look and are in the shape of a trumpet. The Azalea indica ‘Formosa’ grows to between 6 and 8 ft. (1.8 – 2.4 m) and keeps its leaves all year long.

What diseases do azaleas have?

Petal blight, leaf spots, and root rot are common diseases associated with these deciduous shrubs. Placing azaleas in areas with good drainage and conserving water by applying mulch usually helps reduce the chances of plant damage due to these problems.

What are the problems with azaleas?

Although azaleas are generally free of pests and diseases with proper azalea care, common azalea diseases and problems do exist. Insects that can affect azaleas include lace bugs and spider mites. Lace bugs are more likely to target shrubs that are grown in areas of full sun. Petal blight, leaf spots, and root rot are common diseases associated ...

What type of soil do azaleas need?

Best Soil for Azalea Plants. Azaleas have shallow roots and require well-drained, acidic soil. In poorly drained areas, azaleas should be placed in raised beds. Azaleas can also make exceptional candidates for containers. It also helps to amend the soil with compost beforehand.

Do azaleas need fertilizer?

Organic matter added to the soil and an adequate layering of mulch will generally provide azaleas with sufficient nutrients, therefore, frequent fertilizing is often not required. However, if there are low amounts of nitrogen in the soil, applying fertilizer may be necessary in order to prevent a nutrient deficiency.

Where do azaleas grow?

Native Azalea Shrubs – Where Do Western Azaleas Grow. Both rhododendrons and azaleas are common sights along the Pacific Coast. One of the most common varieties of these is the Western azalea plant. Click the following article to find out what a Western azalea is and tips on growing Western azalea plants.

Why are azaleas so popular?

Azaleas are a popular landscaping plant due to their ease of care and their beauty. But, for all their ease, they are not without a few problems. One of those is the azalea lace bug. Learn more in this article.

Can azaleas be hardy?

But, for as hardy as they are, phytophthora root rot can affect azalea shrubs. Click here to learn more.

Can you grow azaleas from seed?

You can grow azaleas from seeds, but that?s not your best bet if you want your new plants to resemble the parent. The only way to be certain you?ll get clones of a favorite azalea is to propagate them from azalea stem cuttings. This article will help with that.

Do azaleas need mulch?

Their requirements are few , but azaleas do need moist soil. Mulching azalea bushes is one way to keep the humidity in the soil, but using mulch for azaleas helps the plants in other ways too. Click here for information about the best azalea mulch, and tips on how to mulch azaleas.

Do azaleas bloom in spring?

In fact, nothing is more beautiful than a growing azalea shrub in spring bloom. To keep azaleas looking healthy, it’s essential that you practice proper azalea care. The information that follows will help do just that.

Can azaleas grow in pots?

Neat and compact, azaleas are well-suited for container growing. If the prospect of growing azaleas in containers piques your interest, click this article for more information about caring for azalea plants in pots.

What color is the azalea shrub?

Plus, the shrub’s dark green foliage turns orange-red in the fall. This slow-grower tends to extend wider than it is tall. Like most types of azaleas, it prefers rich, acidic, evenly moist soil with good drainage. A layer of mulch is helpful to protect its shallow root system. Native Area: Southern and central Korea.

Where are azaleas native to?

Many of the crucial parent species are natives of western China.

How many stamens does a rhododendron have?

Rhododendron flowers have 10 stamens, while azaleas have five. Beyond that, azaleas generally have smaller leaves and branches and are more often deciduous (i.e., they shed their leaves annually), while rhododendrons have larger, leathery leaves and are usually evergreen. For the most part, azaleas bloom earlier than rhododendrons.

What is the pH of azaleas?

Like rhododendrons, azaleas prefer rich, acidic soil, with a pH of 4.5–6.0. This often can be accomplished simply by mulching regularly with pine needs or another acid-rich organic material. Regular feeding with an acidifying fertilizer will also do the trick.

What is a hybridized rhododendron?

Extensive hybridization means that new varieties appear every year, including many that are now suitable for northern climates. The Rhododendron genus comprises both azalea and rhododendron species. The two classes of flowering shrubs are very similar, with the technical differences found in the structure of the flowers.

When does snow azalea bloom?

Sergejs Kartasovs / Getty Images. The 'Snow' azalea hybrid produces trumpet-shaped clusters of white blooms in the spring that pop against a backdrop of green leaves, and the foliage remains deep green through the winter. The shrub has a slow growth rate and typically doesn’t require much pruning.

Do you need to prune azaleas after they bloom?

The shrub has a slow growth rate and typically doesn’t require much pruning. If you need to prune to shape the plant or remove dead portions, do so right after it’s done flowering. This type of azalea is very particular about its planting site and must have soil that’s rich, acidic, evenly moist, and well-draining.

Pests & Azaleas

You didn’t sign up for plant problems and pests. You signed up for landscape beauty. Unfortunately for the aesthetics of your yard, the primary concern of the critters trying to survive in the ecosystem with your Azaleas is to eat and reproduce.

The Most Common Pests Infesting Azaleas

Below you’ll find a list of the most common pests infesting Azaleas. But don’t worry, I won’t stop there. I’ll also give you information on what to look for and how to treat each specific pest. So if you’ve got an Azalea with an unidentified creature roaming about, read on!

Lace Bugs: How to Identify & Control

Azalea lace bugs (Stephanitis pyrioides) are one of the most common Azalea pests. They typically cause less damage to deciduous Azaleas than they do to evergreen Azaleas.

Bark Scale: How to Identify & Control

Bark scale (Erlococcus azaleae) are prominent Azalea pests and live on the plants year-round. They can cause your Azalea bushes to turn mostly black from sooty mold, and eventually, the plant may become unhealthy and start to die back.

Mites: How to Identify & Control

Spider mites are minuscule creatures that are technically not even classified as insects. But that distinction doesn’t mean much to gardeners since they feed on and damage your Azalea plants unless you take measures to control them. These critters can be found on the underside of the leaves, like most of the other pests we are discussing.

Azalea Caterpillars: How to Identify & Control

Azalea caterpillars are the larval stage of adult moths. Their head and legs are red, and they are light green when they hatch. They change colors as they move through stages of growth. At first, they have black and yellow stripes and then gradually change to black with yellow spots.

Azalea Leafminers: How to Identify & Control

Azalea leafminers (Caloptilia azaleella) are the larval stage of a small purple and yellow moth from Japan. They came along on exported Azaleas and have spread to almost every place in the world where you find Azaleas.

Overview

Cultural significance and symbolism

Cultivation

Disease

Pests

Toxicity

Azalea festivals

See also