Azalea Standard Shrub Mini Tree Low Maintenance Evergreen Plant Baring Red Spring Flowers 1 x or 2 x Azalea Japonica Standard Tree in a 2 Litre Pot (60-80cm Tall) by Thompson & Morgan (1)

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Common pests that can affect azaleas include nematodes, mealybugs, aphids, bark scale, spider mites, and lace bugs. Lace bugs are more likely to target shrubs that are grown in areas of full sun.

Azaleas require about one inch of water per week, so if your rainfall levels are on the low end of the scale, plants will need supplemental irrigation. Ideally, you’ll need to take semi-hardwood cuttings. This is the wood that’s still flexible, midway between tender new shoots and mature wood.If your azalea is growing in the right place, you won’t need to worry much about pests and disease problems. Azaleas are among the most popular flowering shrubs in the world, and are a feature of many spring gardens. There are thousands of varieties and most of them do well when grown in pots. However, when planted in the garden some azalea varieties are much better than others. The best tall growing varieties with single flowers include ‘Alba Magna’ (large white), ‘Alphonse Anderson’ (light pink, edged white, rosy blotch in throat) ‘Magnifica’ (purple) and ‘Splendens’ (salmon pink with magenta spots). There is also a sport of Alphonse Anderson called ‘Kalimna Pearl’, which has soft lavender pink double flowers. Climate: Azaleas grow well in most parts of Australia, from Brisbane to Perth and south, but are at their best in cool to temperate areas. Getting started Softwood cuttings: Commercial propagation is by means of softwood cuttings taken in early spring and rooted under mist propagation. Cuttings needa good level of warmth at the base toroot successfully. The amateur gardener is more likely to be successful if using a small electric propagator with bottom heat.

If your soil is heavy, add one to two shovelfuls of landscape sand or pea gravel to improve drainage. Provide winter protection such as a mulch of pine needles or straw or a cloche to protect against frost as needed. You can see a selection of our deciduous azaleas in the photographs below this article where we have attempted to show how they actually grow in gardens.Full sun, especially in southernmost climates, can actually burn the leaves of an azalea. On the other hand, heavy shade can deprive them of necessary oxygen, resulting in poor blooming and weaker growth. Azalea shrubs perform best in partial shade or sunlight filtered by trees. They will also do well in a spot that receives morning sun followed by afternoon shade. When to Plant Azaleas Golden Lights': The bright golden-orange blooms on this 'Northern Lights' cultivar offer a dramatic color for the spring landscape. Cold-hardy (USDA zones 3 to 7) and compact (3 to 6 feet), the flower trusses are flat and contain ten flowers in shades ranging from butter yellow to orange with salmon-pink highlights. Layering is an easy process that involves encouraging root development on a stem that’s still attached to the parent plant.

No matter where you are, autumn is the best time to plant azaleas, because the plants can settle in during cooler temperatures. In warm locations you can plant azaleas any time of year, but spring and summer planting can be stressful. If you will be planting during a warmer time of year, provide plenty of water. Be careful with fertilizer. As a shallow-rooted plant, azalea can easily be damaged by too much fertilizer, so knowing when and how to fertilize azaleas is important. The best time is after flowering. Do not fertilize after July 1st. If you amend the soil with organic material, your azalea will not need much fertilizer. Avoid general products and choose a fertilizer designed for plants that grow in acidic soil. When Should Azaleas Be Pruned? Spring layered plants can be transplanted into the garden in the fall of the same year. But with either spring- or fall-layered plants, waiting a year or two before transplanting is better. Sport’ is a term used in horticulture to describe the way some plants grow just one branch or segment which is different from the original plant. Sports can be propagated from cuttings to produce a new variety. Spectacular standards Lightly scrape the bark for two inches above the cut end with a sharp knife – just enough to remove the outer bark in a few spots.

For plants kept indoors, continue to house the plant in a cool, humid room until after the risk of frosts has passed in your area. Summer treatment Rosy Lights': This compact (4 to 6 feet) deciduous cold-hardy shrub blooms in late spring and features a sprightly flower in a rosy red color with hues of coral and blush. This is one of the 'Northern Lights' series of azalea-rhododendron hybrids. The flowers are borne in "trusses"—not as round as traditional rhododendrons but not as diffused as conventional azaleas. It is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7.