Azalea

Indica, kurume or Encore: which azalea to buy

Indica azaleas are the big traditional performers. Varieties like Alba Magnifica and Alphonse Anderson grow 1m to 2m, carry large single blooms in a massed spring display, and make generous informal hedges and border backbones. Kurume azaleas are their compact cousins at 50cm to 1m, with smaller leaves and flowers so dense they can hide the foliage entirely; Kirin and Christmas Cheer are classics for edging, low borders and pots.

The Autumn series and Encore hybrids change the calendar rather than the size. Sitting around 1m, they flower heavily in spring and then repeat through autumn, and in mild areas they will throw blooms in between as well. If the garden is small and every plant has to earn its spot twice a year, start here. Sizes run from tube stock and 140mm multipacks up to advanced 300mm and 400mm plants, so you can mass plant affordably or buy instant size for a feature position.

Where azaleas thrive in Australia

Azaleas want the light of a woodland edge: morning sun or bright dappled shade, with protection from hot afternoon sun. The east and south sides of the house, or the ground under open canopied trees, are natural homes, and the same conditions suit the ferns and shade foliage covered in our shade gardening guide. Climate wise they are more adaptable than their delicate reputation suggests. Temperate gardens from Sydney to Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth grow them well, most varieties shrug off light frost, and in subtropical gardens they perform provided they get afternoon shade and good drainage. The humid tropics are the one region where they genuinely struggle.

Planting: soil, spacing and pots

Azaleas are acid lovers, happiest at a soil pH of about 4.5 to 6. If your soil is neutral or alkaline, work in a camellia and azalea planting mix, or grow them in pots where you control the mix completely; the Scotts Osmocote rose, gardenia and azalea potting mix in this collection exists for exactly that job. Their roots are shallow and fibrous, so plant no deeper than the pot, water in well and mulch 50mm deep, then avoid digging around them later. Space indica varieties 80cm to 1m apart for an informal flowering hedge, kurumes 40cm to 50cm for edging, and give a potted azalea a 300mm or wider container in filtered light.

Feeding and aftercare

Feed once after the main spring flush with an azalea and camellia fertiliser, and again in late summer for the repeat bloomers; the Richgro and Osmocote feeds on this page are matched to that acid loving root system. Prune lightly straight after flowering if you want a tighter shape, and never in winter, because you will be cutting off the coming season's buds. Keep water consistent in dry spells, since shallow roots dry out first. The two problems worth watching are lace bug, which shows as silvery, mottled leaves through summer, and petal blight, which collapses flowers to mush in warm wet springs. Treat lace bug early with horticultural oil under the leaves, and pick off and bin blighted blooms rather than letting them drop.

Common questions

How much sun does an azalea need?

Morning sun with afternoon shade is the sweet spot. In full shade flowering thins out; in hot westerly sun the leaves scorch. The further inland and hotter your summers, the more shade protection they need.

Do Encore azaleas really flower twice?

Yes. The spring flush is the heaviest, then flowering returns through autumn once the worst of the summer heat passes. Consistent moisture and a light feed after spring are what keep the second season generous.

Can I grow azaleas in pots?

They are one of the best pot shrubs available. Use a 300mm plus container, a quality acidic mix, filtered light and steady water. Kurume and Encore types stay compact for years without repotting.

Why are my azalea's leaves silvery and mottled?

That is azalea lace bug, feeding from the underside of the leaf. Spray the undersides with horticultural oil at the first sign in late spring and repeat a fortnight later. Healthy, well watered plants in part shade get hit far less than stressed plants in hot sun.

What should I plant with azaleas?

Their natural companions are the other acid lovers that enjoy the same soil and light: camellias for winter flowers before the azaleas start, and gardenias for summer perfume after the spring show finishes. All of it is delivered Australia wide with delivery from $29.95 and the 30 day healthy plant guarantee.