Gretel Azalea

Gretel Azalea (Azalea indica 'Gretel') is a compact evergreen shrub to about 1.2m tall and wide, smothered in white blooms flecked and edged with pink. No two flowers are marked quite the same, which sets it apart from a plain white azalea. Planted 80cm apart in a shaded bed it forms a solid block of colour in late winter and spring.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers when the garden is bare. The display runs through late winter into spring, ahead of most other flowering shrubs.
• Markings you notice up close. White petals with pink flecking and a pink edge, varying from bloom to bloom on the same plant.
• Compact and predictable. It holds around 1.2m each way, so it fits a small garden or courtyard without constant cutting back.
• Shade is an advantage here. It performs in part shaded beds where sun loving shrubs sulk, including the shaded side of a house.

Where it works best

Mass planting and borders. Plant 80cm apart on a staggered grid for a solid block of colour. At that spacing the plants touch without crowding, which matters because azaleas dislike still air.

Pots and courtyards. A 400mm pot of azalea and camellia mix suits one plant, and container growing gives you control of the soil. That is the simplest fix where the ground is alkaline.

Feature and small gardens. A matched pair either side of a shaded entry, or one plant under a deciduous tree.

Growing Gretel Azalea in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade, ideally morning sun with shelter from hot afternoon light, which bleaches the flowers and scorches the leaves. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, and handles humidity and wind. It takes light frost only, so cold inland districts want a sheltered spot, and it is not a plant for the wet tropics or dry inland gardens.

Soil. Acidic, free draining and rich in organic matter, around pH 5 to 6. Dig in compost and aged pine bark, and keep the root ball shallow, since azalea roots run near the surface. Mulch 50mm deep and never dig around the base.

Water and feed. This one is not drought tolerant. Keep the soil evenly moist, water deeply twice a week through summer, and check pots more often. Feed with an azalea and camellia fertiliser after flowering.

Pruning. Trim lightly as soon as flowering finishes, taking no more than a third, because pruning later removes next season's buds. Watch for azalea lace bug, which silvers the leaves and is easiest to treat early.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in four sizes: tube stock, 140mm in packs of ten, 200mm in packs of six and 250mm in packs of three. All but the tube stock are on backorder, so those sizes dispatch as the next crop comes through. Tube stock is young and small, and the sensible choice for a whole bed.

Azaleas often drop a few leaves after transit, which is normal. Water in well, keep the root ball damp for the first fortnight, and expect flowering in the first or second season depending on the size bought. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the full azalea range.
• How to lower soil pH for acid loving plants.
• Browse plants for partial shade.
• Camellias, the natural companion planting.

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. All parts of an azalea are toxic to cats and dogs, and even a small amount of foliage can cause serious illness. Choose something else if you have a pet that chews plants.

Why are the leaves turning yellow?

Usually soil that is too alkaline, which locks up iron. Test the pH, treat with iron chelates and mulch with aged pine bark. Waterlogged roots look similar, so check drainage too.

How far apart for a mass planting?

Eighty centimetres apart. The plants meet and read as a continuous block within two seasons, with enough air movement between them to reduce fungal problems.