Azaleas: Meet The Royal Family

KNOWN AS "The Royalty of the Garden," azaleas have long been adored for their brightly colored flowers and outstanding form and foliage. Deciduous varieties are considered the hardiest, many growing as far north as Zone 4. Some, such as the bright-pink roseshell azalea (Rhododendron prinophyllum), are even hardy to Zone 3. With few exceptions, most evergreen azaleas are only reliable to Zone 6.

With thousands of varieties, there are azaleas for just about every landscape situation. There are low-growing ground cover azaleas such as 'Joseph Hill', a bright-red-flowering evergreen that grows only to about a foot; tall varieties such as the white-blooming sweet azalea (R. arborescens), a deciduous plant that can reach 20 feet tall; and just about every shape, size, and color in between. There are even weeping azaleas, such as 'Pink Cascade'.

While most azaleas flower in spring, there are summer-blooming ones that add color and charm to the garden when the flowers of other woody plants have faded. 'Flame Creeper', an orange-flowering ground cover azalea, and 'Weston's Lemon Drop', with peachy-color buds that open to a soft yellow, both flower in late June or July. The pink-flowering 'Sweet September' is an exceptionally late bloomer.

The best time to plant azaleas is in late spring or early fall. Evergreen azaleas do well in partial shade with some wind protection. Deciduous varieties flower more profusely in full sun. All azaleas prefer a well-drained, humusy soil that is slightly acidic (pH 4.5–6). Shallow-rooted, they tend to dry out quickly if not mulched. A mulch of oak leaf mold, pine needles, or aged oak, pine, or hemlock sawdust will keep soil acidic and moist. Nutrients from the decaying mulch will provide all of the fertilizer that azaleas need. Seldom bothered by insects and diseases, azaleas require little care once established, except for watering during dry times.

"The Royalty of the Garden" seems to be a fitting name for this beautiful and majestic plant, but we've got a hunch that once your garden is filled with the colors and fragrance of beautiful blooming azaleas, you'll probably think that it's you who's getting the royal treatment.

– –George and Becky Lohmiller