Bushy , hardy , deciduous shrub with elliptic to oblong , 2 to 6 inch long leaves . efflorescence are borne in huge , showy truss of 18 to 30 blooms per clump . Bloom time is from mid to late spring . The deciduous loan-blend azalea , like it ’s native counterpart , is known for excellent declivity color and unsurpassed spring flowers . The deciduous azalea is usually less picky about soil condition , though it too favour well - drain and acid conditions . The Knap Hill and Exbury azaleas are English hybrid resulting from crosses between R. molle , R. calendulaceum , R. arborescens , and R. occidentale . Though azalea have a potentially large list of possible pest and disease problems , they are normally fuss free if planted aright in proper ethnical conditions .
Google Plant Images : snap here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will mark that sun and shade pattern commute during the day . The western side of a house may even be shady due to shadows frame by large Tree or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your older household , take metre to map out sun and tincture throughout the sidereal day . You will get a more accurate feeling for your site ’s true light conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plant that opt part umbrageous conditions , filtered lightis ideal . honorable planting site are under a mid to large sized tree that let some light through their branches or beneath improbable works that will provide some protection . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants choose igniter that is sink in . Sunlight , though not verbatim , is important to them . Often break of the day sun , because it is not as impregnable as good afternoon sun , can be considered part Lord’s Day or part ghost . If you live in an area that does not get much acute Lord’s Day , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be all right . In other areas such as Florida , plant life in a location where afternoon shade will be receive . precondition : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis require for many plants to arrogate their full potential difference . Many of these plants will do very well with a little less sunshine , although they may not flower as heavily or their leafage as vibrant . Areas on the southern and westerly side of buildings usually are the sunniest . The only exception is when houses or building are so close together , shadows are cast from neighboring properties . Full sun usually mean 6 or more minute of unmediated unobstructed sunlight on a sunny day . Partial Dominicus receives less than 6 time of day of sun , but more than 3 hour . Plants able-bodied to take full sun in some climates may only be capable to support part sun in other climates . get laid the refinement of the plant life before you corrupt and plant it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , cutting , shearing and rejuvenating .
Pinching is removing the root word bakshis of a untested plant to promote fork . Doing this avoids the need for more severe pruning later on .
Thinning affect transfer whole branches back to the trunk . This may be done to open up the DoI of a plant life to let more light in and to increase air circulation that can dilute down on plant disease . The best way to begin thinning is to begin by removing dead or morbid wood .
Shearing is tear down the surface of a shrub using hand or electric shear . This is done to keep up the trust chassis of a hedging or topiary .
Rejuvenating is remotion of older branches or the overall reduction of the size of a shrub to repair its original shape and size of it . It is recommended that you do not remove more than one third of a plant at a prison term . think back to move out branches from the inside of the works as well as the outside . When regenerate plants with cane , such as nandina , trim down back cane at various summit so that plant will have a more natural look . weather condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant performance , it is desirable to match the correct plant with the available swooning conditions . proper plant life , right place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient brightness level may become pale in color , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearance . Also expect plants to grow dumb and have few flower when light is less than suitable . It is potential to provide supplemental kindling for indoor plant with lamps . plant can also receive too much brightness level . If a nicety bang plant is expose to direct Dominicus , it may wilt and/or make leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damage . Conditions : Full SunFull Sunis defined as exposure to more than 6 hour of uninterrupted , verbatim sunlight per day .
Watering
The winder to lacrimation is water deep and less ofttimes . When watering , water system well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With in - ground plants , this means exhaustively soaking the dirt until H2O has diffuse to a profundity of 6 to 7 column inch ( 1 ' being good ) . With container grown plants , apply enough body of water to allow water to flow through the drainage hole .
endeavor to irrigate plants early in the day or afterwards in the afternoon to keep up water and make out down on flora stress . Do urine early enough so that urine has had a chance to dry from flora leafage prior to night evenfall . This is preponderant if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t waitress to water until plants wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will expire if they wilt too much ( when they attain the permanent wilting full point ) .
believe water preservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which slowly dribble wet directly on the root organisation can be purchase at your local home and garden center . mulch can importantly cool down the root zone and keep up moisture .
Consider adding pee - saving gels to the stem zone which will hold a modesty of water for the plant . These can make a world of difference specially under stressful conditions . Be certain to survey recording label directions for their role .
precondition : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that filth should be kept equally moist and watered on a regular basis , as conditions require . Most plant like 1 in of water a calendar week during the produce season , but take care not to over water . The first two eld after a flora is installed , regular watering is crucial for establishment . The first class is critical . It is well to water supply once a calendar week and urine profoundly , than to water oftentimes for a few min .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , sum 2 to 4 inches of senior manure or compost and work into the planting site to better fertility and increase water retentivity and drainage . If soil composition is weak , a layer of surface soil should be conceive as well . No matter if your grunge is Baroness Dudevant or clay , it can be improved by adding the same thing : constitutive subject . The more , the better ; put to work deep into the soil . set up bed to an 18 column inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later on . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plant have been established . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous flowering shrubfor two reasons : 1 . By take away erstwhile , damaged or deadened woods , you increase air stream , yielding in less disease . 2 . You restore new growth which increase efflorescence production .
Pruning deciduous shrubs can be divided into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only deadened , diseased , damaged , or crossed ramification , can be done in early spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new emergence which bring on summertime blossom - in other words , prime appear on fresh wood);summer pruning after flower(after anthesis , cut back shoot , and take out some of the old growing , down to the ground);suckering substance abuse pruning(flowers seem on wood from previous year . Cut back bloom shank by 1/2 , to strong farm new shoot and dispatch 1/2 of the flowered stems a duo of inches from the reason ) Always remove dead , discredited or pathologic wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .
example : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . Spring : Abelia , Buddleia , Datura , Fuchsia , Hibiscus , Hypericum , Perovskia , Spirea douglasii / japonica , Tamarix . Summer after blossom : 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 origin ball and deep enough to plant at the same level the shrub was in the container . If soil is misfortunate , dig hole out even wide and fill with a mixture half original soil and half compost or ground amendment .
cautiously take away shrub from container and gently disjoined roots . Position in center of hole , best side facing frontward . take in with original soil or an amended mixture if need as described above . For larger shrubs , work up a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If the plant is balled - and - burlapped , absent fastener and close back the top of natural burlap , gather it down into hole , after you ’ve position bush . Make certain that all burlap is entomb so that it wo n’t wick weewee away from rootball during hot , dry period . If celluloid burlap , remove if possible . If not possible , shorten aside or make twat to allow for roots to modernise into the new soil . For large shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulch and watering well .
If shrub is unembellished - root , look for a discoloration somewhere near the base ; this mark is likely where the territory job was . If soil is too sandy or too clayey , add organic subject . This will serve with both drainage and water supply holding capacity . Fill grime , firm just enough to support shrub . Finish by mulch and watering well .
Problems
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; use screening in window to keep them out ; remove infested plant life away from non - infested plants ; expend a contemplative mulch ( aluminum enhancer ) under plant ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with xanthous sticky cards , lend oneself pronounce pesticides ; encourage rude enemy such as bloodsucking wasp in the garden ; and sometimes a respectable steady shower of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : AphidsAphids are small , soft - corporal , behind - moving insects that suck fluids from plants . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from unripe to Robert Brown to pitch-dark , and they may have wings . They attack a wide stove of plant species have aerobatics , deformed leave and buds . They can channel harmful plant viruses with their piercing / lactate mouthpart . Aphids , generally , are merely a pain , since it takes many of them to cause serious plant harm . However aphid do develop a sweet substance scream honeydew ( coveted by pismire ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface emergence call off sooty mould .
Aphids can increase quickly in number and each female can get up to 250 live nymphs in the course of a month without mating . Aphids often seem when the environs switch - spring & fall . They ’re often massed at the tips of branch feeding on lush tissue . aphid are attracted to the color yellowness and will often thumb on chickenhearted clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep green goddess to an absolute lower limit , especially around worthy plants . On edibles , wash off infected area of works . Lady bug and lacewing will feed in on aphid in the garden . There are various products - constitutional and inorganic - that can be used to control aphids . Seek the passport of a professional and follow all label procedures to a tee . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare host specific and overwinter on leaves , stems and spent bloom debris . Rust often appears as small , bright orange , jaundiced , or brown pustule on the underside of leaves . If touched , it will leave behind a coloured spot of spores on the finger’s breadth . due to fungi and spread by splashing water or rainfall , rusting is bad when weather is moist .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant kind and cater maximum gentle wind circulation . make clean up all debris , especially around plants that have had a problem . Do not water from overhead and water supply only during the day so that plants will have enough time to dry out before night . utilise a antimycotic labeled for rust fungus on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis normally found on plant life that do not have enough air circulation or fair to middling sparkle . Problems are bad where nights are cool and days are ardent and humid . The powdery snowy or gray fungus is usually find on the upper Earth’s surface of leave or fruit . Leaves will often turn yellow or dark-brown , curl up , and cut down off . young leaf emerge crinkled and misshapen . Fruit will be dwarf and often drop early .
Prevention and Control : institute resistant variety and space plants right so they have adequate lightness and atmosphere circulation . Always water from below , keep open water off the leaf . This is paramount for roses . Go easily on the N fertilizer . Apply fungicides fit in to recording label focus before problem becomes severe and take after direction precisely , not miss any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - strip up and remove all leaves , flowers , or detritus in the fall and destroy . pesterer : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the immature form of moths and butterflies . They are voracious self-feeder attacking a wide form of plants . They can be highly destructive and are characterized as leaf bird feeder , stem borers , leaf rollers , cutworms and tent - formers .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , scout individual plants and remove caterpillars , utilise labeled insecticides such as soaps and oils , take advantage of natural foeman such as parasitic wasps in the garden and use Bacillus thuringiensis ( biological warfare ) for some caterpillar species . Diseases : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when ground wet level are excessively eminent and fungal spores present in the soil , descend in contact with the susceptible plant . The base of stems discolor and wither , and impart further up the husk wilt and die . Leaves near base are affected first . The roots will turn bootleg and rot or weaken . This fungus kingdom can be introduced by using unsterilised soil mixture or contaminated urine .
Prevention and ControlRemove affected plants and their roots , and discard circumvent soil . substitute with plants that are not susceptible , and only use clean , sterilized land mix . Hold back on fertilizing too . adjudicate not to over water plants and make certain that soil is well drained prior to plant . This fungus is not treatable by chemical substance .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptoms look like to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to flourish in well drain soils . kingdom Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are do by fungi or bacteria . chocolate-brown or black spots and patch may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - adjoin visual aspect . Insects , pelting , sordid garden tool , or even masses can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leaves when the plant is dry . Leaves that collect around the base of the plant should be raked up and cast aside of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; weewee should be direct at dirt level . For fungal leaf spot , use a recommended fungicide according to recording label directions .
Fungi : Black SpotA known rose disease , Black Spotappears on vernal leave as temporary fatal circle , often consume a icteric doughnut . rope or spore colony may get to 1/2 inch in diam . Leaves will turn scandalmongering and dismiss off , only to produce more leaves that will accompany the same pattern . Roses may not make it through the winter if black spot is severe . The fungus will also regard the size of it and quality of flowers .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties for your area . Always water from the flat coat , never overhead . exercise expert sanitation - fresh up and demolish debris , especially around industrial plant that have had a trouble . When pruning roses , even deadheading , fall pruners in a bleach / water result after each cutting . If a industrial plant seems to have chronic mordant spot , remove it . A 2 - 3 column inch thick layer of mulch at the fundament of plant reduces sprinkle . Do not wait until black spot is a huge trouble to curb ! Start ahead of time . Spray with a fungicide labeled for bootleg maculation on roses . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , interrelate to mealy bug , that can be a trouble on a wide motley of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scales creep until they find a good eating site . The grownup female person then suffer their leg and persist on a spot protected by its hard shell level . They appear as excrescence , often on the depressed sides of leave . They have piercing sass parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can weaken a industrial plant leading to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet-flavored substance call honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting bleak surface fungal outgrowth call in jet-black mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are arduous to control . Isolate overrun works aside 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 . Encourage born enemies such as parasitic wasp in the garden . Diseases : BlightBlights are cause by fungi or bacteria that kill plant tissue paper . Symptoms often show up as the rapid spotting or wilt of foliation . There are many different blights , specific to various plants , each take a varied method of dominance . Pest : LacebugsLacebugsare white to pale brown , 1/8 inch long , orthogonal in physical body with have lacy wing and usually found on the underside of leaves where they suck sap . nymph may come along spiny and sorry than adults . Lacebugs , which do not fly , are sometimes confused with whitefly that do fly . Damage usually appears as stipples or " " bleach out - look " " spots on the leave . Hard , shameful excrement can commonly be find on the bottom of leaf . Damage is most visible during the summer , especially on trees . Flowering shrubs , though live , seem weak and almost lifeless .
Prevention and Control : If infestation is mild , wash away with a jet of soapy water or prune off infested farewell or limb . Timing is important : spray according to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your area . To control louse , spray underside of leaf with a recommended insecticide allot to recording label directions . condition : ChlorosisEntire foliage or area around veins in leave seem jaundiced . This is the issue of decreased iron uptake from the dirt due to higher pH or waterlogged filth . It is important to know the pH essential of plants . Prior to planting , meliorate soil to improve drainage and correct pH , if necessary . greensickness is coarse in works growing close to concrete or planted in alkaline soils . handle with an iron add-on according to label direction .
Miscellaneous
Although many citizenry believe that cooler temperatures are responsible for the colour change , the weather has nothing to do with it at all . As the day turn shorter and the nights longer , a chemical clock inside the tree diagram starts up , releasing a endocrine which restrain the flow of sap to each leaf . As fall progress , the sap flowing slows and chlorophyl , the chemical that gives the leaves their green coloring in the give and summertime , go away . The residual sap becomes more hard as it dry out , make the semblance of spill . gloss : NaturalizingNaturalizingrefers to planting in a random formula , much as itwould occur in nature . If you spend any time in the woods , you ’ve probably noticed that plants often grow in grouping . The centre of the group is dense and towards the edges , plant are locate far apart . Narcissus medulla are easy to naturalise if you use this method : occupy a pail with bulbs and toss them out . Plant them where they fall . You will point out a portion of the medulla are close together while the others have disperse farther out . gloss : SpecimenAspecimencan be a tree , shrub , ground cover , yearly , or perennial that is singular in compare to the besiege plants . Uniqueness may be in semblance , form , texture , or size . By using only one specimen works in a ocular country , it can be showcased . Specimen plants are accents in the landscape painting , just as statue , piss characteristic , or arbors . Glossary : DeciduousDeciduousrefers to those plant that mislay their leaves or needles at the end of the grow time of year . gloss : pHpH , means the electric potential of Hydrogen , is the measure of alkalinity or acidity . In gardening , pH refers to the pH of soil . The scale bar from 0 , most acid , to 14 , most alkaline . Seven is indifferent . Most plant life prefer a range between 5.5 and about 6.7 , an acid range , but there are flock of other plant life that like grease more alkaline , or above 7 . A pH of 7 is where the plant can most easy absorb the most nutrient in the soil . Some plants prefer more or less of sure nutrients , and therefore do better at a sure pH.Glossary : Heat ZoneThe 12 zone of the AHS Heat Zone map indicate the mean routine of days each year that a yield neighborhood experiences " " heat days " " or temperatures over 86 degrees F(30 degrees Celsius ) . That is the level at which works set out suffer physiological price from heat . The zone range from Zone 1 ( less than one heat day ) to Zone 12 ( more than 210 passion days ) . The AHS Heat Zone , which deal with warmth tolerance , should not be confused with the USDA Hardiness Zone system which deals with frigid tolerance . For model : Seattle , Washington has a USDA Hardiness Zone of 8 , the same as Charleston , South Carolina ; however Seattle ’s Heat Zone is 2 where Charleston ’s Heat Zone is 11 . What this says is that wintertime temperature in the two metropolis may be like , but because Charleston has significantly warmer weather for a longsighted period of time , plant survival of the fittest based on heating plant permissiveness is a divisor to consider . Glossary : Plant CharacteristicsPlant characteristics delineate the plant , enable a search that find specific type of industrial plant such as bulb , trees , shrubs , grass , perennials , etc . gloss : Flower CharacteristicsFlower characteristics can vary greatly and may help you adjudicate on a " " look or feel " " for your garden . If you ’re looking for fragrance or large , glossy flowers , click these box and possibilities that go your cultural conditions will be prove . If you have no druthers , leave loge unchecked to return a capital number of possibilities . Glossary : Foliage CharacteristicsBy search foliage characteristics , you will have the opportunity to depend for foliage with distinguishable features such as vary folio , aromatic leafage , or strange grain , color or shape . This subject field will be most helpful to you if you are looking for accent plants . If you have no preference , leave behind this field blank to return a larger selection of plants . How - to : get the Most Out of Cut FlowersCut flowers impart the garden into your home . While some cut flowers have a retentive vase animation , most are extremely perishable . How cut flowers are do by when you first convey them home can significantly increase how long they last .
The most important thing to consider is getting sufficient water deal up into the cut stem . deficient water system can result in droop and abruptly - lived flower . Bent neck of roses , where the efflorescence head droops , is the result of pitiable piss uptake . To maximize water supply consumption , first re - cut the stems at an slant so that the vascular system of rules ( the " " plumbing " " of the stem ) is clear . Next immerse the cut stems in warm water .
Remember when the flush is write out , it is cut off from its food supplying . Once pee is taken care of , food is the resourcefulness that will ladder out next . The plants stems course feed the bloom with refined sugar . If you tot a bit of lucre ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water , this will help feed the flower stems and extend their vase biography .
Bacteria will construct up in vase piss and finally clog up the theme so the peak can not take up urine . To keep this , change the vase H2O often and make a new cut in the stems every few day .
Floral preservative , available from florists , contain sugars , acid and bactericide that can extend cut flower life . These come in small packets and are more often than not usable where cutting off flowers are sold . If used properly , these can extend the vase biography of some cut flowers 2 to 3 times when compare with just unmistakable water in the vase . Glossary : TolerantTolerant refers to a plant ’s power to tolerate exposure to an external condition(s ) . It does not have in mind that the plant thrives or favor this spot , but is capable to adapt and remain its life oscillation . gloss : VirusesViruses , which are smaller than bacterium , are not live and do not repeat on their own . They must rely on the cellular mechanisms of their innkeeper to replicate . Because this greatly disrupts the cell ’s functionality , outward-bound signs of a viral contagion result in a flora disease with symptoms such as abnormal or scrubby development , damaged yield , stain or spots .
Prevention and Control : Keep virus carriers such as aphids , leafhoppers , and thrip under control . These plant feeding insects spread viruses . Viruses can also be introduce by septic pollen or through plant openings ( as when pruning ) . Begin bykeeping the pathogen outof your garden . novel plant life should be check , as well as tools and live plants . Use only licence seed that is deemed disease - detached . Plant only resistant varietiesandcreate a discouraging environmentby go around crops , not planting intimately related plant in the same sphere every year . Glossary : Growth BudsPlant stems hold in numerous buds that will grow and regenerate a works when stimulated by pruning . There are three canonical eccentric of buds : terminal , lateral and abeyant . Terminal bud are at the tips of twigs or branches . They arise to make the offshoot or branchlet longer . In some cases they may give rise to a blossom . If you cut the top of a subdivision and remove the terminal bud , this will advance the lateral bud to grow into side branches resulting in a duncish , shaggy plant . Lateral bud are lower down on the branchlet and are often at the point of foliage attachment . Pruning them encourages the terminal bud , result in a prospicient , slender subdivision . Dormant buds may continue inactive in the bark or stem and will only grow after the plant is cut back .
