Mrs. E.C. Stirling bear expectant , silver - pinkish prime and is hardy to -15 degree Farenheit . Evergreen shrub with glossy , gloomy - green leaf . There are between 500 and 900 species of evergreen plant and deciduous plants in the Rhododendron genus . Azaleas decrease into this category . The evergreen rhododendron is characterise by spiritualist to long , elliptical leaves and turgid , clustered , truss of , former , showy , spring to former summer flowers , array in colors from red , pink , ashen , lavenders , purples and even white-livered and orange . Form perhaps low and mounding to gangly and almost tree - like with age . All rhododendrons love well - drained , vitriolic soil and should be plant high , rather on raise bed . Partial shade is preferable too , though many plants arise quite well in full Dominicus in cooler , more forgiving climates . In general , the evergreen rhododendron tends to do better in cool areas of zone 7 and lower , flourish in the Appalachian Mountains and the Pacific Northwest .
Google Plant Images : sink in here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
Watering
The paint to watering is water deeply and less oft . When watering , piddle well , i.e. provide enough piddle to thoroughly saturate the ascendant ball . With in - ground plant , this means thoroughly souse the soil until water has penetrated to a depth of 6 to 7 inch ( 1 ' being safe ) . With container grown plants , practice enough water to allow water system to fall through the drainage holes .
endeavor to water plant early in the Clarence Day or afterward in the good afternoon to conserve piddle and cut down on plant tenseness . Do water ahead of time enough so that water has had a luck to dry from plant life leaves prior to night fall . This is overriding if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to water until plant wilt . Although some plants will recuperate from this , all plant will die if they wilt too much ( when they hand the lasting wilting gunpoint ) .
regard water conservation method such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . trickle systems which slowly dribble moisture directly on the root organisation can be purchase at your local home and garden center . mulch can importantly chill the solution zone and conserve wet .
Consider adding piddle - save gel to the root zone which will hold a reserve of water for the plant . These can make a macrocosm of difference especially under nerve-racking condition . Be certain to follow label direction for their manipulation .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that grunge should be save evenly moist and watered on a regular basis , as stipulation require . Most works like 1 in of water a week during the turn season , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a plant is installed , even watering is important for constitution . The first yr is critical . It is salutary to piss once a calendar week and body of water deep , than to body of water ofttimes for a few minutes .
Planting
Pruning deciduous shrubs can be divided into 4 group : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only deadened , diseased , damaged , or crossed branches , can be done in other spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new growth which produces summertime bloom - in other words , flowers appear on new wood);summer pruning after flower(after anthesis , cut back back shoots , and take out some of the onetime growth , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers seem on Natalie Wood from old year . Cut back bloom fore by 1/2 , to impregnable growing newfangled shoot and remove 1/2 of the flower stems a couple of inches from the ground ) Always take out dead , damaged or pathologic Ellen Price Wood first , no matter what type 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 . summertime 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 hole twice the size of the root ball and deep enough to plant at the same grade the shrub was in the container . If soil is miserable , dig hole out even wider and fill with a mixture half original soil and half compost or soil amendment .
cautiously take away shrub from container and gently freestanding roots . Position in eye of hole , best side confront forward . satisfy in with original soil or an amended salmagundi if require as described above . For larger bush , build up a water well . Finish by mulching and water well .
If the plant life is balled - and - burlapped , remove fasteners and pen up back the top of born burlap , tucking it down into hole , after you ’ve positioned shrub . Make trusted that all gunny is entomb so that it wo n’t wick urine away from rootball during raging , teetotal point . If semisynthetic gunny , remove if possible . If not possible , rationalize away or make slits to allow for ascendant to develop into the new soil . For larger shrubs , construct a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If shrub is stark - root , search for a discoloration somewhere near the base ; this Deutsche Mark is likely where the soil line was . If soil is too sandy or too clayey , add organic matter . This will help oneself with both drain and water belongings capacity . Fill soil , firming just enough to sustain shrub . Finish by mulch and water well .
Problems
Possible controls : keep sess down ; utilisation screen out in windows to keep them out ; slay infested plants away from non - infested plants ; use a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; hole with yellow embarrassing cards , go for label pesticides ; further natural enemy such as bloodsucking white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden ; and sometimes a good regular exhibitioner of water will wash them off the flora . Pest : AphidsAphids are small , mild - bodied , slow - moving worm that draw fluids from plant . Aphidscome in many color , lay out from immature to brown to black , and they may have wings . They attack a wide range of works species make stunting , deformed leave of absence and buds . They can convey harmful plant computer virus with their piercing / suck mouthparts . Aphids , generally , are simply a pain , since it takes many of them to cause serious plant life legal injury . However aphids do produce a sweetened substance called honeydew ( covet by emmet ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface growth send for sooty mildew .
Aphids can increase rapidly in numbers and each female can produce up to 250 live nymphs in the course of a month without pairing . Aphids often look when the surround changes - bound & fall . They ’re often massed at the confidential information of branches feeding on lush tissue . Aphids are draw in to the color yellow and will often hitchhike on yellow vesture .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an absolute minimum , especially around desirable plants . On victual , wash off taint arena of industrial plant . Lady bugs and lacewings will fertilize on aphid in the garden . There are various products - organic and inorganic - that can be used to manipulate aphids . look for the testimonial of a professional and follow all label procedures to a tee . kingdom Fungi : RustsMostrustsare server specific and overwinter on leaves , halt and spent flower debris . Rust often look as minor , bright orange , yellow , or brown pustules on the undersurface of leaves . If touched , it will leave a colored spot of spores on the finger . because of fungus kingdom and spread by splashing water or rain , rust is worse when weather is moist .
Prevention and Control : Plant tolerant multifariousness and provide maximum air circulation . Clean up all debris , particularly around plants that have had a problem . Do not water from operating expense and water only during the day so that plant life will have enough prison term to dry before dark . Apply a fungicide mark for rust on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually incur on plants that do not have enough air circulation or tolerable light . job are worse where nights are coolheaded and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually discover on the upper surface of leaves or yield . Leaves will often flex chickenhearted or brown , curl up , and drop off . raw foliage emerges crinkled and perverted . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : Plant insubordinate varieties and outer space plants decent so they receive adequate brightness level and air circulation . Always urine from below , keeping water off the leafage . This is preponderant for rose . Go easy on the N plant food . Apply fungicides according to recording label directions before problem becomes austere and follow direction exactly , not missing any call for treatment . Sanitation is a must - make clean up and remove all leave , flowers , or junk in the fall and destruct . pestilence : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the immature contour of moths and butterflies . They are voracious birdfeeder attacking a wide variety of plant . They can be extremely destructive and are characterized as leaf bird feeder , root word borers , leaf roller , cutworms and tent - formers .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , pathfinder individual plant and remove cat , put on labeled insecticides such as soaps and crude oil , take advantage of rude foeman such as epenthetic wasps in the garden and apply Bacillus thuringiensis ( biological warfare ) for some caterpillar species . disease : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when soil moisture level are excessively high and fungal spores present in the soil , come in contact with the susceptible plant . The base of stanch discolor and shrink , and leaves further up the stalk wilt and snuff it . leaf near groundwork are touch on first . The roots will turn black and rot or break . This fungus can be introduced by using unsterilised dirt premix or pollute water .
Prevention and ControlRemove feign plants and their roots , and discard surrounding stain . supersede with plant that are not susceptible , and only practice fresh , sterilized soil mix . Hold back on fertilise too . Try not to over water supply plants and verify that grime is well drained prior to set . This fungus is not treatable by chemicals .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptom look similar to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to thrive in well drained soils . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , related to mealy bugs , that can be a trouble on a wide variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . immature surmount crawling until they find a good feeding land site . The adult females then drop off their leg and remain on a spot protected by its hard shell layer . They come along as protrusion , often on the low side of leaves . They have piercing mouth parts that take in the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can undermine a plant leading to yellow-bellied foliage and folio drop . They also create a sweet substance prognosticate honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive opprobrious surface fungous increment address sooty mildew .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants off from those that are not invade . refer your local garden eye professional or Cooperative Extension berth in your county for a legal good word regarding their ascendancy . further rude enemy such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden . disease : BlightBlights are stimulate by fungi or bacteria that kill flora tissue paper . Symptoms often show up as the rapid spotting or wilting of foliage . There are many different blight , specific to various plants , each requiring a wide-ranging method acting of ascendancy . Pest : LacebugsLacebugsare livid to pale brown , 1/8 in long , rectangular in Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe with have lacy annexe and usually found on the underside of leaves where they absorb sap . Nymphs may appear burred and dour than adults . Lacebugs , which do not fly , are sometimes confused with whiteflies that do fell . Damage usually appear as stipples or " " bleached - looking " " post on the leaves . heavily , black excrement can usually be line up on the undersurface of leaves . terms is most visible during the summer , particularly on trees . Flowering shrubs , though active , appear weak and almost lifeless .
Prevention and Control : If infestation is soft , lap away with a jet of soapy water or prune away infest leave or limbs . Timing is important : spray accord to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your area . To operate insects , spray underside of farewell with a commend insect powder according to label directions . Conditions : ChlorosisEntire leaf or arena around veins in farewell appear yellow . This is the solvent of decreased iron uptake from the soil due to higher pH or waterlogged soil . It is important to know the pH necessity of plants . Prior to planting , remedy stain to better drain and adjust pH , if necessary . greensickness is mutual in plants grow close to concrete or planted in alkaline stain . Treat with an smoothing iron supplement according to label guidance .
Miscellaneous
The most important thing to take is vex sufficient water taken up into the cut stem . Insufficient water can result in wilting and short - lived flowers . Bent neck of roses , where the flower oral sex droops , is the result of misfortunate body of water uptake . To maximise H2O uptake , first re - turn off the stems at an slant so that the vascular arrangement ( the " " plumbing system " " of the radical ) is clear . Next immerse the baseball swing stems in strong water supply .
commend when the flower is cut off , it is cut off from its food supply . Once pee is taken tutelage of , food is the imagination that will work out next . The works staunch naturally bung the flush with sugars . If you add together a bit of sugar ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water , this will help feed the efflorescence stems and extend their vase life .
Bacteria will build up in vase water and eventually clog up the stem so the flower can not take up body of water . To forbid this , change the vase water frequently and make a new track in the stems every few days .
Floral preservatives , available from florists , contain boodle , back breaker and bacteriacides that can extend cut flower living . These come in little packets and are generally uncommitted where cut efflorescence are deal . If used properly , these can stretch forth the vase liveliness of some cut flowers 2 to 3 times when compare with just evident water in the vase . gloss : TolerantTolerant refers to a plant ’s ability to bear photograph to an external condition(s ) . It does not mean that the works thrives or prefers this situation , but is able to adjust and carry on its life cycle . Glossary : Growth BudsPlant stems moderate numerous buds that will grow and regenerate a plant when stimulated by pruning . There are three basic types of bud : final , sidelong and dormant . Terminal bud are at the tips of twigs or branches . They grow to make the branch or twig longer . In some cases they may give wage increase to a flower . If you shorten the crest of a offset and remove the terminal bud , this will promote the sidelong buds to grow into side branches leave in a thicker , bushier plant . Lateral bud are low down on the twig and are often at the point of leafage attachment . Pruning them encourages the last bud , resulting in a long , tenuous branch . abeyant buds may remain inactive in the bark or stalk and will only grow after the plant is curve back . gloss : PruningNow is the preferred time to prune this works .
