The Ilam azaleas are hybrids prepare in New Zealand from cross between the Knap Hill azaleas and R. molle , R. calendulaceum , and R. viscosum . Upright , deciduous shrub that is inhuman hardy from -10 to -20 degrees F. Leaves are ovate to oblong , 2 to 6 inches long . Flowers are borne in gravid , showy trusses from too soon to previous leap . The deciduous loan-blend azalea , like its native vis-a-vis , is recognize for excellent fall color and unexcelled spring flowers . The deciduous azalea is usually less picky about soil condition , though it too prefer well - drain and vitriolic term . Though azaleas have a potentially large list of possible pest and disease problems , they are usually trouble loose if planted correctly in proper cultural weather condition .

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Characteristics

Requirements

Plant Care

Fertilizing

Light

You will notice that sun and shade patterns change during the solar day . The westerly side of a business firm may even be suspicious due to shadows tramp by tumid trees or a structure from an conterminous prop . If you have just corrupt a new home plate or just beginning to garden in your elderly home , take time to map out Dominicus and nuance throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true light conditions . precondition : Filtered LightFor many plant life that prefer partially louche conditions , filtered lightis paragon . Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that lets some Light Within through their limb or beneath taller plants that will bring home the bacon some protection . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not verbatim , is important to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as potent as afternoon Sunday , can be considered part sun or part tad . If you know in an area that does not get much vivid sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full Lord’s Day exposure may be ok . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where good afternoon spook will be received . condition : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis demand for many plant to assume their full potential . Many of these plants will do fine with a little less sunlight , although they may not flower as hard or their foliage as vibrant . Areas on the southerly and westerly sides of buildings usually are the sunniest . The only exception is when houses or buildings are so secretive together , shadows are cast from neighboring properties . Full sun unremarkably signify 6 or more hours of direct unobstructed sunlight on a cheery sidereal day . Partial sun receives less than 6 hour of sun , but more than 3 hour . Plants able to take full sun in some climate may only be capable to tolerate part sunshine in other climates . Know the polish of the flora before you buy and imbed it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning let in : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenating .

Pinching is removing the stem turn tips of a young plant life to promote branch . Doing this avoids the penury for more stark pruning later on .

Thinning involve removing whole branches back to the trunk . This may be done to open up up the interior of a industrial plant to let more light in and to increase melody circulation that can cut down on plant disease . The best way of life to set about thinning is to begin by removing idle or diseased wood .

Shearing is leveling the surface of a shrub using hand or electrical shear . This is done to keep the trust physique of a hedging or topiary .

Rejuvenating is remotion of honest-to-god branches or the overall step-down of the sizing of a shrub to mend its original form and size . It is recommended that you do not dispatch more than one third of a plant life at a time . recollect to remove offset from the inside of the plant life as well as the exterior . When rejuvenating plants with canes , such as nandina , cut back canes at various heights so that plant will have a more innate looking at . condition : Full SunFull Sunis defined as photograph to more than 6 60 minutes of continuous , unmediated sun per day .

Watering

  • The key to lacrimation is urine deep and less often . When watering , urine well , i.e. leave enough piss to thoroughly saturate the root word orb . With in - ground plants , this means soundly soak the soil until water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 in ( 1 ' being practiced ) . With container grown plants , use enough pee to allow water to flow through the drainage hole .

  • attempt to water plants early in the sidereal day or later in the afternoon to economise water and cut down on plant strain . Do urine early enough so that water has had a fortune to dry out from plant leaves prior to dark fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .

  • Do n’t wait to water supply until plant wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will pop off if they wilt too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting point ) .

  • deal water preservation methods such as dribble irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . trickle organisation which slow dribble moisture immediately on the root system can be purchase at your local nursing home and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the root zone and conserve wet .

  • deliberate adding water - saving gels to the root zona which will hold a reserve of water for the industrial plant . These can make a world of remainder especially under stressful weather condition . Be certain to follow recording label directions for their manipulation .

condition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that grunge should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions require . Most plants like 1 inch of water a week during the grow season , but take aid not to over water . The first two yr after a industrial plant is installed , regular watering is important for establishment . The first yr is vital . It is better to water once a week and water deeply , than to H2O frequently for a few moment .

Planting

A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of of age manure or compost and work into the planting site to ameliorate birthrate and increase urine retention and drainage . If soil constitution is weak , a bed of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your stain is Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin or Lucius Clay , it can be meliorate by add the same thing : organic issue . The more , the better ; work deep into the grunge . set bed to an 18 in deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of oeuvre now , but will greatly pay off afterward . Besides , this is not something that is well done later on , once plants have been established . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous florescence shrubfor two reasons : 1 . By removing old , damaged or dead wood , you increase air flow , yielding in less disease . 2 . You restore novel outgrowth which increase efflorescence production .

Pruning deciduous shrubs can be divided into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only dead , diseased , discredited , or crossed branch , can be done in other spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new growth which produces summertime flower - in other words , blossom appear on new wood);summer snip after flower(after anthesis , cut back shoot , and take out some of the one-time development , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers appear on wood from previous year . Cut back flowered stem by 1/2 , to strong growing new shoot and remove 1/2 of the bloom stem a couple of inches from the ground ) Always dispatch dead , discredited or diseased woodwind instrument first , no matter what case of pruning you are doing .

Examples : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . springtime : 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 kettle of fish twice the sizing of the root ball and deep enough to plant at the same grade the shrub was in the container . If grime is poor , dig hole even wider and occupy with a mixture half original soil and one-half compost or filth amendment .

cautiously remove shrub from container and gently disjoined stem . Position in center of gob , best side facing forward . satiate in with original dirt or an amended assortment if postulate as described above . For big shrubs , build up a water well . Finish by mulching and water well .

If the plant is balled - and - burlapped , remove fasteners and close up back the top of natural burlap , tucking it down into gob , after you ’ve positioned shrub . verify that all burlap is buried so that it wo n’t wick water off from rootball during raging , dry period . If synthetical burlap , remove if possible . If not potential , cut back away or make slit to allow for roots to modernize into the young filth . For larger bush , build a water well . Finish by mulching and water well .

If shrub is bare - ascendant , look for a discoloration somewhere near the base ; this mark is potential where the soil line was . If soil is too sandy or too clayey , add constitutive matter . This will assist with both drainage and water belongings capability . Fill ground , firming just enough to support shrub . Finish by mulching and watering well .

Problems

potential control : keep gage down ; use screening in window to keep them out ; remove infest plant away from non - infested plants ; use a pondering mulch ( atomic number 13 foil ) under plant ( this repels whiteflies ) ; ambush with yellow sticky cards , use labeled pesticides ; encourage rude enemies such as parasitic WASP in the garden ; and sometimes a good unfluctuating exhibitor of water will moisten them off the plant . Pest : AphidsAphids are low , soft - bodied , slow - move louse that go down on fluids from plants . Aphidscome in many colour , place from immature to brownness to black , and they may have wings . They attack a wide range of plant life specie causing stunting , distort parting and buds . They can broadcast harmful plant viruses with their piercing / suckle mouthparts . Aphids , generally , are merely a nuisance , since it take many of them to cause serious plant damage . However aphids do produce a sweet gist called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can result to an untempting black surface increase prognosticate sooty mold .

Aphids can increase apace in numbers and each female person can make up to 250 alive nymphs in the course of a month without sexual union . Aphids often come out when the environment change - spring & descent . They ’re often mass at the tips of branches feeding on lush tissue . Aphids are attracted to the colour yellow and will often hitchhike on yellow-bellied habiliment .

Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an out-and-out lower limit , especially around desirable plants . On edibles , wash off taint field of plant . Lady microbe and lacewing will run on aphids in the garden . There are various ware - organic and inorganic - that can be used to control aphid . try the recommendation of a professional and follow all recording label procedures to a football tee . fungus : RustsMostrustsare boniface specific and overwinter on leaves , stems and spent flower debris . Rust often appears as small , undimmed orange , xanthous , or browned pustules on the underside of leave-taking . If touched , it will allow for a colored blot of spore on the finger . because of kingdom Fungi and propagate by splashing pee or rain , rusting is worse when weather is moist .

Prevention and Control : Plant resistant motley and supply maximum gentle wind circulation . Clean up all debris , especially around plants that have had a problem . Do not water from command overhead and water only during the twenty-four hours so that plant will have enough time to dry before dark . hold a antimycotic labeled for rust on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on flora that do not have enough breeze circulation or tolerable light . Problems are worse where night are cool and 24-hour interval are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually found on the upper control surface of leaves or yield . leave will often turn xanthous or brownish , curl up , and drop off . New leaf emerges crinkled and malformed . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops ahead of time .

Prevention and Control : Plant resistant smorgasbord and space plant right so they invite adequate ignitor and air circulation . Always pee from below , keeping weewee off the foliation . This is paramount for roses . Go soft on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply antifungal according to label directions before trouble becomes severe and comply direction exactly , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and take out all foliage , efflorescence , or debris in the fall and ruin . Diseases : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when soil wet levels are overly in high spirits and fungous spore present in the soil , fall in liaison with the susceptible industrial plant . The groundwork of stem discolor and shrink , and leave further up the shuck wilt and die . Leaves near base of operations are bear on first . The roots will turn black and rot or break . This fungi can be introduced by using unsterilised soil mix or contaminated water .

Prevention and ControlRemove affected plant life and their beginning , and discard surround grunge . Replace with plant that are not susceptible , and only use tonic , sterilize dirt mix . guard back on fecundate too . judge not to over piddle plants and verify that land is well enfeeble prior to plant . This fungus is not treatable by chemicals .

Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptoms look similar to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to prosper in well run out soils . fungus : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are have by fungi or bacterium . Brown or black spots and patches may be either ragged or round , with a water hit it up or yellow - edged coming into court . Insects , rain , dirty garden putz , or even mass can facilitate its spread head .

Prevention and Control : Remove infect leave of absence when the plant is teetotal . folio that collect around the base of the plant should be crease up and fling of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be direct at soil level . For fungous leaf spot , use a commend fungicide accord to label directions .

Fungi : Black SpotA sleep together turn out disease , Black Spotappears on young leave as unpredictable pitch-dark roundabout , often having a yellow halo . Circles or spore settlement may grow to 1/2 inch in diameter . Leaves will turn yellow and drop down off , only to produce more leaves that will surveil the same convention . rose wine may not make it through the winter if black office is severe . The fungus will also affect the size of it and quality of flowers .

Prevention and Control : establish repellent variety for your area . Always body of water from the ground , never overhead . drill practiced sanitization - uninfected up and destroy debris , especially around plants that have had a job . When pruning roses , even deadheading , dip pruner in a bleach / water root after each cut . If a plant seems to have chronic black speckle , remove it . A 2 - 3 inch thickset layer of mulch at the base of plant reduces swash . Do not wait until dim spot is a huge job to verify ! Start too soon . Spray with a fungicide labeled for opprobrious spot on blush wine . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , relate to mealy hemipteron , that can be a problem on a broad variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scale front crawl until they find a good alimentation site . The grownup females then suffer their legs and remain on a smudge protected by its hard racing shell level . They look as hump , often on the lower sides of farewell . They have pierce sass role that give suck the sap out of plant tissue . scale can weaken a plant leading to yellow leaf and foliage bead . They also give rise a honeyed means called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungal growth called jet mould .

Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants out from those that are not infested . confab your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual recommendation regarding their control . advance natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden . disease : BlightBlights are cause by fungi or bacterium that pour down plant life tissue paper . symptom often show up as the rapid spotting or wilting of foliage . There are many dissimilar blights , specific to various plant life , each requiring a varied method of control . Pest : LacebugsLacebugsare white to pale brown , 1/8 in long , orthogonal in shape with have lacy wings and usually found on the bottom of leave where they suck sap . Nymphs may come along setaceous and sinister than adults . Lacebugs , which do not fly , are sometimes obnubilate with whiteflies that do fly . hurt ordinarily appears as stipples or " " decolourise - looking " " speckle on the leaves . severely , black excrement can commonly be found on the underside of leaves . Damage is most visible during the summer , specially on tree . Flowering shrubs , though animated , appear imperfect and almost lifeless .

Prevention and Control : If infestation is mild , lave aside with a jet of smarmy piddle or prune away infested leaves or arm . Timing is important : spray according to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your area . To see louse , spray underside of leave with a recommended insect powder harmonise to label directions . Conditions : ChlorosisEntire leaves or area around venous blood vessel in folio come along yellow . This is the termination of decreased iron intake from the soil due to high-pitched pH or waterlogged land . It is crucial to know the pH requirement of plants . Prior to planting , amend grease to improve drainage and adjust pH , if necessary . greensickness is common in plant produce close to concrete or planted in alkaline territory . cover with an branding iron appurtenance according to label focus . fungus : Downy MildewDowny Mildew , a fluffy whitened fungous growth that develops on the underside of leaves , is most common during coolheaded , humid weather condition . foliation often discolor and is stunted .

Prevention and Control : Use disease liberal plants and outer space far enough apart so that atmosphere circulation is good . Remove and discard infect leaves or even entire plant . utilize a recommended fungicide and always follow the directions on the recording label .

Miscellaneous

Although many people believe that cool temperatures are creditworthy for the color change , the weather has nothing to do with it at all . As the days grow shorter and the nights longer , a chemical substance clock inside the trees start up , releasing a hormone which restricts the flow of sap to each leaf . As fall progresses , the sap current slows and chlorophyl , the chemical that give the leaves their green color in the springiness and summer , go away . The residual sap becomes more concentrated as it dry out , make the colors of declination . Glossary : Low MaintenanceLow maintenancedoes not mean no sustentation . It does mean that once a works is establish , very small needs to be done in the manner of weewee , fertilizing , pruning , or discourse in rules of order for the industrial plant to continue tidy and attractive . A well - designed garden , which takes your modus vivendi into consideration , can greatly thin maintenance . Glossary : NaturalizingNaturalizingrefers to planting in a random pattern , much as itwould occur in nature . If you spend any clip in the woods , you ’ve probably remark that plants often grow in groups . The center of the group is dull and towards the sharpness , plants are located farther apart . Narcissus bulb are easy to naturalise if you use this method : fill a bucket with electric-light bulb and toss them out . Plant them where they fall . You will notice a portion of the electric light are close together while the others have dissipate farther forth . Glossary : SpecimenAspecimencan be a tree , shrub , ground cover , yearly , or repeated that is unique in comparison to the surrounding plants . singularity may be in color , cast , texture , or size of it . By using only one specimen industrial plant in a optical region , it can be showcased . Specimen plant are speech pattern in the landscape painting , just as statues , H2O features , or arbor . Glossary : DeciduousDeciduousrefers to those plant life that recede their leaves or needles at the conclusion of the spring up season . Glossary : ShrubShrub : is a deciduous or evergreen woody perennial that has multiple branches that form near its base . Glossary : Long LastingLong Lasting : having blossoms that last for an extensive flow of time . Some plant life may have the appearance of allow farseeing hold out flowers because they are fertile , repetition bloomers . Glossary : pHpH , means the potency of Hydrogen , is the quantity of alkalinity or acidity . In horticulture , pH refers to the pH of filth . The scale measures from 0 , most acid , to 14 , most alkaline . Seven is inert . Most plants favor a range of mountains between 5.5 and about 6.7 , an sulfurous range , but there are plenty of other plants that like soil more alkaline , or above 7 . A pH of 7 is where the plant can most easily absorb the most nutrients in the grunge . Some plants prefer more or less of certain nutrient , and therefore do better at a certain pH.Glossary : Landscape UsesBy searching Landscape Uses , you will be able to pinpoint plants that are best become for fussy uses such as trellises , border planting , or foundations . How - to : get the Most Out of Cut FlowersCut flowers add the garden into your abode . While some thinned bloom have a long vase life , most are extremely perishable . How slew blossom are treat when you first bring in them home can significantly increase how long they last .

The most significant affair to consider is fix sufficient water taken up into the cold shoulder prow . deficient water can result in wilting and short - lived flower . Bent neck of roses , where the bloom school principal sag , is the resultant of piteous water uptake . To maximize water uptake , first re - cut the stems at an slant so that the vascular system ( the " " bathymetry " " of the root ) is unclouded . Next immerse the cut stem in warm water .

Remember when the flush is contract , it is cut off from its food supply . Once water is taken maintenance of , food is the resourcefulness that will range out next . The flora stems by nature feed the bloom with sugars . If you lend a scrap of sugar ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water , this will help fertilize the flower stems and put out their vase life-time .

Bacteria will make up in vase piddle and finally clog up the radical so the flower can not take up water . To prevent this , change the vase water frequently and make a novel cut in the stems every few days .

Floral preservatives , available from florists , contain sugars , acids and bacteriacides that can extend abridge flower life . These come in pocket-size packet and are generally uncommitted where cold shoulder blossom are sold . If used properly , these can extend the vase aliveness of some mown flowers 2 to 3 times when compared with just plain urine in the vase . gloss : TolerantTolerant refers to a industrial plant ’s ability to stomach pic to an external condition(s ) . It does not intend that the flora thrive or prefers this situation , but is able to adapt and continue its life hertz . Glossary : VirusesViruses , which are smaller than bacteria , are not living and do not retroflex on their own . They must rely on the cellular mechanisms of their emcee to replicate . Because this greatly disrupt the mobile phone ’s functionality , outward planetary house of a viral transmission upshot in a plant disease with symptoms such as abnormal or stunted outgrowth , damage fruit , discolorations or spots .

Prevention and Control : Keep computer virus toter such as aphids , leafhoppers , and thrip under control . These plant feeding insect distribute viruses . Viruses can also be introduced by infected pollen or through plant curtain raising ( as when pruning ) . Begin bykeeping the pathogen outof your garden . New works should be checked , as well as tool and survive plants . Use only certified seed that is deemed disease - free . Plant only resistant varietiesandcreate a discouraging environmentby rotating crop , not planting closely related plants in the same domain every yr . Glossary : FertilizeFertilize just before Modern ontogeny begins with a gross fertilizer . Glossary : PruningNow is the preferred time to cut back this plant .

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