When gardeners discuss azaleas (which, botanically talking, are truly rhododendrons), they normally consider evergreen foliage.
But there’s a entire different thrilling group of azaleas that, whereas they lose their leaves in winter, have unimaginable scorching yellow, orange, salmon or pink flowers in spring, and nice fall foliage coloration within the autumn. Many of them even have robust perfume and fortunately develop in full solar in our Northwest local weather.
Growing 5 to six ft tall, they are greatest planted towards the again of the mattress the place the brilliant floral shows will present up above the decrease crops in entrance. They are comparatively care-free, with occasional pruning required to form and skinny their progress.
Very few deciduous shrubs can equal deciduous azaleas for showiness and coloration vary, to not point out perfume. Even so, not many individuals make the most of them of their yards. Coming in a 1- to 5-gallon pot in garden facilities, these fantastic shrubs don”t have a complete lot of magnetism — besides for his or her fabulous blooms, in fact. They can look leggy and misshapen after they are younger and their blooms can be sparse, however give them an opportunity to get established in your garden and you’ll marvel why you didn”t plant some years in the past.
When I bought my home and the garden heart approach again in 1989, there have been a few of these azaleas planted subsequent to our driveway. At the time I wasn”t acquainted with them and because it was late August, they weren”t actually a lot to have a look at. But within the fall, they turned a vibrant bronzy-red coloration and the next spring they burst into bloom with probably the most sweetly scented perfume of any plant I’ve ever recognized.
That explicit selection in my yard (it’s nonetheless there, by the best way) is one generally known as “Irene Koster,” which boasts pale yellow/blushed pink flowers that are extremely aromatic. While Irene is tender and pleasing, as I discussed above, many deciduous azaleas are brassy with scorching yellows, oranges, corals and reds — these flavors are not for the faint of coronary heart. They will heat up your garden in no time flat, and since they bloom earlier than their leaves emerge, all the bush will be enveloped in coloration from head to toe.
Here is a sampling of among the extra widespread varieties that you just should be capable of finding at most garden facilities.
“Arneson Gem”: This selection shows pink buds opening to placing yellow-orange aromatic flowers. There are a number of colours within the “Arneson” collection and so they all are inclined to be a bit extra compact than others, rising within the 3- to 4-foot vary, and so they additionally present good mildew resistance. You can’t lose with any of the variations.
“Mandarin Lights”: Flowers are ruffled vibrant mandarin/orange with a lightweight perfume.
“Lilac Lights”: This selection is blanketed in gorgeous clusters of lilac-purple trumpet-shaped flowers with fuchsia spots on the ends of the branches.
“Golden Lights”: This choice supplies an enormous show of good, golden yellow single blooms.
“Electric Lights Red”: This latest introduction within the “Lights” collection is totally lined in true hearth engine-red flowers which have that unmistakable azalea perfume.
The above 4 alternatives are from the “Northern Lights” collection, and had been bred for added hardiness and total sturdiness. Since hardiness shouldn’t be a problem within the Pacific Northwest, we now have extra alternatives to select from, and the under varieties carry out very properly for us in our maritime local weather whereas displaying a pleasant compact progress behavior, topping out at 4 ft tall and as extensive.
“Gibraltar”: This magnificence has clusters of huge, deep coppery-orange flowers. The petals are fringed and splendidly aromatic.
“Klondyke”: An extraordinarily hardy choice that gives an enormous show of vibrant, golden yellow, single blooms with lush, bronze-tinged inexperienced foliage.
“Fragrant Star”: Named for its extraordinarily fragrant, giant, five-petaled, snowy white flowers that prime the blue-green foliage.
All of those azaleas will recognize a bit rhododendron meals within the spring and a lightweight dressing of mulch. Supplemental water within the warmth of the summer season is a pleasant factor to do as properly, not important however you’re going to get higher bud set if you happen to apply some summer season water.
Now is the time to purchase these crops after they are in full bloom and you may try their true flower colours, as a substitute of making an attempt to depend on an image tag that may be pale. Just keep in mind that although they could look homely in a nursery pot, they are going to become one in every of your favourite shrubs in just a few quick years.
Stay protected, and carry on gardening!
Steve Smith is the proprietor of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville, and might be reached at [email protected]
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“Lilac Lights” is blanketed in gorgeous clusters of lilac-purple trumpet-shaped flowers with fuchsia spots on the ends of the branches.
“Electric Lights Red” is roofed in true hearth engine-red flowers which have an unmistakable azalea perfume.
“Golden Flare” azalea. The shrubs will profit from a bit rhododendron meals and a lightweight mulch dressing within the spring.
