Types of Azalea Plants

Evergreen

There are some 800 species of azalea, making it a good planting for much of the United States. Choosing an evergreen type provides yards and gardens with year-round greenery and color from October to June. Flowers are in shades of pink, white, purple and red. The Glen Dale produces orange or chartreuse blossoms. The evergreens are primarily sun loving and should be planted in areas with full or partial exposure. They adapt to most types of soil, but must have good drainage. Soil should be kept moist, not waterlogged or dry. Once established, azaleas require little help from the grower. Occasional pruning and pinching flower tips promotes healthy growth and better flower production. Avoid pruning in fall and winter. As long as its environmental and nutritional needs are met, evergreen azaleas are hardy and resist most pests and diseases.

Deciduous azaleas are less common than the evergreen types and often have a different look. Their flowers come in a number of colors, primarily pastel pink, white and purple, but a few display magenta, yellow or orange. Deciduous azaleas are hardy and do well in most soil types, provided it has good drainage and is slightly acidic. They do best in areas with partial to full sun exposure, but grow in partial shade as well. Too much shade negatively affects blooming, and too much water stunts growth. This variety tends to be pest and disease resistant with root rot being a primary concern if over watered. Once established, minimal work is required by growers with only minor pruning needed occasionally.

Hybrid azalea plants have been around for hundreds of years but became increasingly common in the United States in the early 1900s. Growers can create their own combinations, or purchase these plants from nurseries. These plants are most commonly a cross between a deciduous type azalea and another type of flower, creating a number of new colors and patterns. Some plants are one or multitoned. These flowers are usually large, brightly colored and come in single, double or semidouble patterns. Hybrid azaleas are warm-weather plants. Frost damages or kills them. Hybrids cannot be grown from seeds. They must be cultivated from cuttings of the mother plant.

The large blooms on azaleas are usually a favorite feature for yards and landscapes. These flowers come in a number of colors and four main types including single, hose-in-hose, double and double hose-in-hose. Each features different characteristics and growing patterns. A single flower matures with five or six petals that surround five stamens and one pistil. Hose-in-hose will have 10 to 12 petals and a calyx. Double flowers have stamens that mature into petals, which leads to any number of petals. Double hose-in-hose will end up with more than 30 petals upon maturity. Flowers, especially those on hybrid plants, grow with a number of different shapes, variable petal styles and several sizes.