Azaleas are easy care plants requiring little maintenance, which offer a magnificent
splash of colour in winter and spring gardens. Rebecca Hughes from Blue Mountain
Nurseries shares her best picks for any garden.
Azaleas are stunning planted in groups, in mixed borders or in front of evergreen shrubs or under deciduous trees. Colours are available in pink, white, red, yellow, cream, mauve, blue, purple and orange. They associate well with other plants that enjoy similar conditions, such
as maples, dogwoods and magnolias, camellias, pieris, daphnes and small woodland bulbs, and perennials.
Evergreen azaleas originate from Japan, whereas deciduous azaleas are more widespread, being found in China, Japan, Korea, southern Russia and North America.
Azaleas have one flower per stem but the shrub produces so many stems that it appears to be covered in blossoms. They are also mainly very hardy. Only the harshest of frost will damage them.
Three types of azaleas
Azalea indica is the most well-known of the evergreen azaleas. They flower from late winter to early summer and will grow in wide range of habitats, including coastal and cooler inland areas. They offer large flowers, small leaves and grow from 60cm to 1.2min height.
Kurume azaleas are evergreen with small leaves. Small single or semi double flowers smother the plant in spring. Kurume azaleas can tolerate cooler temperatures and require less shade than the indica varieties. They grow from 60cm to 1m in height.
Mollis azaleas are hybrids from controlled crosses, initially between the Chinese and Japanese azaleas but are now mixed in their genetics. They are cold tolerant and more forgiving of less-than-ideal soil conditions, particularly wetter and heavier ground. They have highly coloured foliage through autumn and lose their leaves in winter. Flowers appear before the foliage in spring. Some varieties are fragrant. They prefer a cooler climate and will grow in full sun to a height of 1.5m.
Soil preparation and planting
Azaleas can be planted at any time of year, as long as they are well watered through the summer months. Ideally, plant in winter and early spring before flowering takes place. In their natural habitat, azaleas grow under a forest or woodland canopy, so seek to replicate this with a site that is in semi shade or filtered sunlight. The mollis azaleas will tolerate full sun, so check which type you have.
Azaleas need well-aerated and highly organic soil. Before planting, water the plant well and let it sit. Prepare the site by digging in organic material and a slow-release fertiliser. The prepared site should be a hole that is twice the width of the pot and at least a spades’ length deep.
Taking the plant from the pot, tease out the roots or carefully run a sharp knife down the length of the root ball to encourage new roots to grow. Be careful to plant the azalea at the same level as it was in the pot. Azaleas are surface rooted, so planting too deep with kill the fine root hairs.
Place in the hole and gently firm the soil around the root ball. Form a raised ring around the plant to create a well where water can go where it is needed most. Water well and finally mulch around the base with organic mulch but keeping away from the main stem.
Azaleas can be plated at any time of year, as long as they are watered through the summer months.
Azaleas you can try in your next job
Azalea Pavolva
Scented double white flowers on a strong upright bush in November. Hardy. Raised by Denis Hughes at Blue Mountain Nurseries. Mildew resistant. Ht: 1.5m. Deciduous.
Azalea Caroline de Rothschild
Large frilly pink and cream flowers in November. Fragrant. Ht: 1.5m. Deciduous. A Blue Mountain release from the breeding programmes of Denis Hughes.
Azalea Blue Mountain Softlights
Large double, soft pastel pink flowers in November. The second of the Blue Mountain Double Azaleas. Mildew resistant. Brilliant autumn colour. Ht:1.5-2m. Deciduous. PVR RHO007.
Azalea Very Large Double Pink
A Blue Mountain Double. Flowers in November. Shelter from wind.
Ht: 1.5m. Deciduous.
Azalea Blue Mountain Pink Chiffon
Double pink flowers in November on a compact bush. Plant needs shelter from wind. Scented. Ht:1.5m. Deciduous. Another Blue Mountain Nurseries release from breeder Denis Hughes.
Azalea Nicholas de Rothschild
Orange-red buds open to a compact head of double yellow flowers, turning pink as they mature in November. Ht: 1.5m. Deciduous. A Blue Mountain release from Denis Hughes.
Azalea Melford Lemon
Butter yellow flowers in November. Ht: 1m. Deciduous. (Ilam).
Azalea Persil Large perfumed white flowers with a prominent deep yellow flare in the throat on a compact head. (Exbury).
Rebecca Hughes has a Botany BSc with Honours and has been National Training Manager for the Horticulture Industry Training Organisation (ITO) and General Manager for the Community Support Services ITO.
She is currently co-director of Blue Mountain Nurseries, a family-run wholesale and retail plant nursery established in Tapanui in 1932.