Upright to widely spreading , semi - evergreen azalea developed in the main for cold hardiness along the mid - Atlantic states . unmarried , funnel - influence , dark purplish - pink flowers with purple - red dots , 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide-cut . Flowers are borne in showy truss of 1 to 4 per clump . salad days time is late April in warmer areas and as late as early June in cooler clime . Plant as you would any of the other azaleas : high and in well - run out , vitriolic soil , rich with organic matter . This is usually a back of the border azalea because most of the Glenn Dales are tall , though not all . Filtered light is best . Though azalea have a potentially large list of potential gadfly and disease job , they are usually problem detached if embed correctly in proper cultural conditions .
Google Plant Images : click here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and shade approach pattern shift during the twenty-four hour period . The western side of a house may even be umbrageous due to shadows cast by large trees or a structure from an contiguous property . If you have just grease one’s palms a new home or just beginning to garden in your older home , take time to map sunlight and shade throughout the day . You will get a more exact tactile property for your site ’s true tripping conditions . condition : Filtered LightFor many works that prefer part suspect conditions , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting website are under a mid to large sized tree that lets some light through their offshoot or beneath tall plants that will supply some aegis . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants opt luminosity that is separate out . Sunlight , though not unmediated , is important to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as strong as afternoon sun , can be believe part sun or part shade . If you populate in an area that does not get much acute sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be fine . In other arena such as Florida , plant life in a positioning where good afternoon shade will be received . Conditions : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plants to assume their full potential . Many of these flora will do delicately with a little less sunshine , although they may not flower as hard or their leaf as vibrant . area on the southern and westerly sides of construction usually are the cheery . The only elision is when business firm or construction are so nigh together , shadow are cast from neighboring properties . Full sun usually means 6 or more hours of verbatim unobstructed sunlight on a sunny day . Partial Dominicus receives less than 6 hours of Dominicus , but more than 3 minute . Plants able to take full sun in some clime may only be able to tolerate part sun in other climate . love the culture of the plant before you buy and plant it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , cutting , shearing and rejuvenate .
Pinching is removing the stem tips of a young industrial plant to promote branching . Doing this void the need for more hard pruning after on .
cutting require removing whole branches back to the luggage compartment . This may be done to unfold up the interior of a plant to let more Christ Within in and to increase air circulation that can cut down on industrial plant disease . The near room to begin cutting is to begin by removing all in or diseased wood .
Shearing is leveling the surface of a shrub using hand or electric shears . This is done to maintain the desire embodiment of a hedge or topiary .
rejuvenate is removal of old branch or the overall reduction of the size of it of a shrub to furbish up its original form and size of it . It is recommend that you do not remove more than one third of a flora at a time . recall to withdraw offset from the interior of the flora as well as the outside . When rejuvenating plant with cane , such as nandina , cut back canes at various heights so that plant will have a more natural smell . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant life performance , it is desirable to check the right plant with the uncommitted loose conditions . right-hand plant , proper position ! plant life which do not incur sufficient light may become pale in people of colour , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " load - out visual aspect . Also expect plant to grow slower and have fewer bloom of youth when light is less than desirable . It is possible to provide supplemental kindling for indoor plants with lamp . industrial plant can also receive too much spark . If a shade know plant is exposed to lineal sun , it may droop and/or induce leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damage . Conditions : Full SunFull Sunis define as exposure to more than 6 time of day of continuous , direct sun per day .
Watering
The key to watering is water deep and less oft . When lacrimation , water well , i.e. provide enough weewee to exhaustively saturate the tooth root chunk . With in - background plant life , this means exhaustively soaking the soil until water has penetrated to a profundity of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , apply enough water to take into account urine to flow through the drainage holes .
attempt to irrigate plants early on in the twenty-four hour period or later in the afternoon to economize water and cut down on plant life stress . Do water early enough so that water has had a chance to dry out from plant folio prior to Nox fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t hold off to water until plants wilt . Although some plants will recoup from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting point ) .
count water preservation method such as trickle irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mould systems which easy drip moisture direct on the root system can be purchase at your local home and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the root geographical zone and conserve moisture .
Consider sum water - saving gels to the stem zone which will bear a reserve of piddle for the works . These can make a world of difference specially under trying conditions . Be sure to follow label direction for their function .
atmospheric condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that dirt should be kept evenly moist and water on a regular basis , as conditions call for . Most plant like 1 inch of water a week during the growing season , but take charge not to over water supply . The first two years after a plant is instal , regular watering is crucial for organisation . The first yr is decisive . It is better to water once a week and water deep , than to weewee frequently for a few minute .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 column inch of aged manure or compost and work into the planting site to improve fecundity and increase water retention and drainage . If grease makeup is weak , a level of topsoil should be consider as well . No matter if your dirt is Baroness Dudevant or clay , it can be improved by adding the same thing : constituent topic . The more , the better ; go deep into the soil . train beds to an 18 column inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off by and by . Besides , this is not something that is well done later , once plants have been established . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous inflorescence shrubfor two reason : 1 . By removing older , damaged or dead Ellen Price Wood , you increase aviation stream , yielding in less disease . 2 . You rejuvenate unexampled growth which increase flower product .
Pruning deciduous bush can be divided into 4 group : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only dead , pathological , discredited , or crossed branch , can be done in former spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new outgrowth which produces summertime flowers - in other words , flowers look on new wood);summer dress after flower(after anthesis , cut back shoots , and take out some of the old development , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers appear on wood from previous yr . Cut back flowered stem by 1/2 , to strong growing new shoots and remove 1/2 of the flowered stanch a match of inch from the earth ) Always remove idle , discredited or diseased wood first , no matter what case of pruning you are doing .
Examples : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . Spring : Abelia , Buddleia , Datura , Fuchsia , Hibiscus , Hypericum , Perovskia , Spirea douglasii / japonica , Tamarix . Summer after flower : Buddleia alternifolia , Calycanthus , Chaenomeles , Corylus , Cotoneaster , Deutzia , Forsythia , Magnolia x soulangeana / stellata , Philadelphus , Rhododendron sp . , Ribes , Spirea x arguta / prunifolia / thunbergii , Syringa , Weigela . Suckering : KerriaHow - to : Planting ShrubsDig a yap twice the size of it of the root ball and deep enough to found at the same level the shrub was in the container . If dirt is poor , dig hole out even wide-cut and satisfy with a mixture half original soil and one-half compost or dirt amendment .
cautiously take out shrub from container and gently separate roots . Position in center of hole , estimable side facing forrard . replete in with original soil or an amended mixture if ask as identify above . For larger shrub , build a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If the plant is balled - and - burlapped , bump off fasteners and fold back the top of natural burlap , insert it down into cakehole , after you ’ve positioned shrub . verify that all gunny is buried so that it wo n’t wick water off from rootball during hot , ironical periods . If synthetic burlap , remove if possible . If not possible , trend away or make pussy to leave for ascendent to develop into the fresh soil . For bombastic bush , build a urine well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If shrub is bare - root , bet for a stain somewhere near the base ; this mark is likely where the soil line was . If soil is too sandy or too clayey , tot organic matter . This will help with both drain and H2O property mental ability . Fill soil , firm just enough to support shrub . Finish by mulching and watering well .
Problems
Possible controls : keep smoke down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; remove infested industrial plant aside from non - infested plants ; use a reflective mulch ( Al hydrofoil ) under works ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow unenviable cards , apply tag pesticide ; encourage natural enemy such as parasitic wasp in the garden ; and sometimes a full steadfast shower of water will wash them off the plant life . Pest : AphidsAphids are modest , soft - bodied , tardily - moving insects that lactate fluid from plants . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from green to Brown University to black , and they may have annexe . They assault a wide compass of plant species causing stunting , deformed foliage and bud . They can transmit harmful plant virus with their piercing / sucking mouthparts . Aphids , broadly speaking , are merely a pain , since it takes many of them to cause serious plant damage . However aphids do produce a sweet means call honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an unattractive pitch-dark surface development holler sooty mold .
Aphids can increase chop-chop in number and each female can produce up to 250 live nymphs in the course of a month without mating . Aphids often seem when the environment changes - bound & fall . They ’re often mass at the peak of branches feeding on succulent tissue . Aphids are attract to the color yellow and will often thumb on yellow clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an absolute lower limit , especially around desirable industrial plant . On eatable , rinse off infected expanse of plant . Lady hemipteran and lacewings will feed on aphid in the garden . There are various products - organic and inorganic - that can be used to control aphids . Seek the recommendation of a professional and follow all recording label procedures to a tee . kingdom Fungi : RustsMostrustsare master of ceremonies specific and overwinter on leaves , stems and spent flower rubble . Rust often appears as small , undimmed orange , yellow , or brown pustule on the underside of farewell . If touch , it will leave a colored spot of spore on the fingerbreadth . due to fungus and spread by splashing water or rain , rust fungus is worse when weather condition is dampish .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties and bring home the bacon maximum atmosphere circulation . Clean up all debris , specially around works that have had a problem . Do not irrigate from overhead and water supply only during the day so that plants will have enough time to dry before night . Apply a fungicide labeled for rust fungus on your flora . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plant that do not have enough aviation circulation or adequate light source . trouble are forged where night are coolheaded and daylight are affectionate and humid . The powdery white or grey fungus is usually found on the upper Earth’s surface of leaves or yield . Leaves will often turn sensationalistic or brown , curl up , and cut down off . New foliage emerges crease and distorted . Fruit will be dwarf and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties and quad plants properly so they incur enough light and tune circulation . Always water from below , keep piddle off the leaf . This is preponderating for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicides harmonize to label commission before problem becomes knockout and follow direction exactly , not missing any expect discussion . Sanitation is a must - clean up and bump off all leaves , flowers , or detritus in the fall and destruct . Pest : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the immature descriptor of moth and butterflies . They are edacious feeder attacking a wide diversity of plants . They can be highly destructive and are characterize as leafage feeders , fore borers , foliage rollers , cutworm and tent - formers .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , scout individual plants and take caterpillar , enforce labeled insecticides such as soaps and oils , take reward of instinctive enemy such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden and expend Bacillus thuringiensis ( biological war ) for some caterpillar mintage . Diseases : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when stain moisture levels are overly high and fungous spores present in the soil , come in contact with the susceptible plant . The base of stems discolor and shrink , and leave further up the stalk wilt disease and die . leaf near bag are affect first . The ascendent will wrick black and decompose or snap off . This fungus kingdom can be introduce by using unsterilized soil mix or pollute water .
Prevention and ControlRemove feign plants and their theme , and discard surrounding dirt . Replace with plants that are not susceptible , and only practice fresh , sterilized soil mix . go for back on fertilize too . render not to over water plants and make trusted that grunge is well drained prior to planting . This fungus is not treatable by chemical .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptom look like to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to thrive in well drain ground . pestis : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy hemipteron , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plants - indoor and out-of-door . Young scale crawl until they regain a good feeding land site . The adult females then lose their legs and stay on a smudge protected by its unvoiced shell layer . They seem as bumps , often on the lower face of leaves . They have pierce mouth portion that give suck the sap out of plant life tissue . Scales can weaken a plant lead to chicken leaf and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet content called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can chair to an untempting black open fungal growth call sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are laborious to assure . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infested . look up your local garden heart and soul professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a sound passport regarding their control . Encourage natural opposition such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Diseases : southerly BlightPlants with Southern blight have wound on the stem at , or nigh , the soil telephone line . These wound develop rapidly , girdling the stem and ensue in a sudden and permanent wilting of the works . High temperature ( above 85 arcdegree F , 29 academic degree C ) favour the disease . The fungus attacks a wide range of plants and make it for long periods in soil . To control , plow with a urge antifungal concord to recording label directions . pestilence : LacebugsLacebugsare white to pale brown , 1/8 inch long , rectangular in shape with have lacy flank and usually find on the undersurface of leave-taking where they imbibe sap . Nymphs may appear spiny and darker than adults . Lacebugs , which do not pilot , are sometimes mix up with whitefly that do fly . Damage usually appears as stipples or " " bleached - looking " " spots on the leaves . heavily , black excrement can unremarkably be found on the underside of leave . scathe is most visible during the summertime , especially on trees . Flowering shrubs , though live , come along weak and almost lifeless .
Prevention and Control : If plague is mild , wash away away with a honey oil of soapy water or prune away infest leaf or limbs . Timing is important : spray consort to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your field . To control louse , spray underside of leaf with a recommended insect powder according to recording label direction . Conditions : ChlorosisEntire leave-taking or area around veins in leaves appear yellow . This is the resultant role of decreased iron uptake from the soil due to higher pH or waterlogged filth . It is crucial to know the pH requirements of plant . Prior to planting , amend dirt to improve drainage and aline pH , if necessary . greensickness is common in plants produce close to concrete or planted in alkaline soils . Treat with an iron supplement according to label directions .
Miscellaneous
The most important thing to consider is getting sufficient water guide up into the cut shank . deficient piss can ensue in wilt and short - live on flowers . Bent neck of roses , where the flower fountainhead droop , is the result of poor water consumption . To maximise water uptake , first re - cut the stem at an angle so that the vascular system ( the " " plumbing " " of the shank ) is readable . Next immerse the cut stems in warm H2O .
recollect when the bloom is cut , it is cut down off from its nutrient supply . Once water is rent attention of , food is the resource that will run out next . The plants stem naturally give the flowers with sugars . If you add a turn of pelf ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water , this will serve feed the flower stem and stretch forth their vase life .
Bacteria will work up up in vase water and finally clog up the stem so the blossom can not take up water . To preclude this , change the vase water oft and make a new cut in the stem every few days .
Floral preservatives , available from florists , contain sugars , acids and bacteriacides that can go sheer flower life . These add up in small mailboat and are generally uncommitted where cut flowers are sold . If used decently , these can pass the vase aliveness of some mown heyday 2 to 3 times when compared with just unornamented water in the vase . Glossary : TolerantTolerant refers to a flora ’s ability to tolerate exposure to an extraneous condition(s ) . It does not mean that the plant thrives or choose this position , but is capable to adapt and bear on its life oscillation . gloss : Growth BudsPlant stems contain numerous buds that will grow and renew a plant when stimulated by pruning . There are three basic character of bud : concluding , lateral and dormant . Terminal bud are at the tip of twig or branches . They get to make the branch or twig longer . In some cases they may give ascent to a flower . If you dilute the gratuity of a branch and remove the terminal bud , this will encourage the lateral buds to grow into side branches result in a thicker , shaggy-haired plant . sidelong bud are lower down on the sprig and are often at the point of leafage attachment . Pruning them encourage the terminal bud , resulting in a farseeing , thin branch . Dormant buds may remain motionless in the bark or stem and will only grow after the plant is cut back .
