Mrs Kint Azalea

Mrs Kint Azalea (Rhododendron 'Mrs Kint') is a Kurume azalea, the compact evergreen group that carries the heaviest flower display of any small shrub in an Australian garden. It holds a tidy dome of about 1m tall and 1m wide and smothers itself in pink to red blooms from late winter into spring, to the point where the foliage almost disappears. Give it dappled shade and acidic soil and it repeats that every year.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers that cover the plant. Kurume azaleas bloom so densely that a massed planting reads as a solid block of colour for several weeks each spring.
• It stays small. A natural 1m by 1m dome, so it fits under windows, along a path or in a pot without annual size management.
• Evergreen structure. Small glossy leaves stay on all year, so the shrub earns its place in the months it is not flowering.
• Shade is an advantage. It flowers well in the dappled light under established trees, where most flowering shrubs give up.

Where it works best

Borders, edging and mass planting. Plant 70cm apart for a low massed display. At that spacing the domes touch within two to three seasons and the flowering reads as one continuous drift rather than a row of separate bushes.

Pots and small gardens. A pot 400mm or wider with an acidic azalea and camellia mix is the simplest way to grow azaleas where garden soil is alkaline. Potted plants dry out faster, so watch them through summer.

Growing Mrs Kint Azalea in Australia

Position and climate. Dappled shade, or morning sun with afternoon protection, since hot afternoon sun scorches the leaves and shortens the flowering. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate and subtropical gardens, is frost hardy once established, and copes with humidity well.

Soil. This is the part that decides success. Azaleas need acidic, well drained soil rich in organic matter. On neutral or alkaline ground, plant into a raised bed of azalea mix or use a pot, and top up with an acidifying fertiliser each year.

Water and feed. The roots are fine and shallow, so they dry out quickly. Water deeply twice a week in warm weather and keep 50mm of mulch over the root zone, held clear of the stem. Feed with an azalea and camellia fertiliser after flowering.

Pruning. Trim lightly straight after flowering, which is when next season's buds are set. Pruning later removes the flowers before they open. It reshoots from old wood, so an overgrown plant can be cut back hard in spring.

What to expect when it arrives

This azalea is supplied as tube stock, a young plant of around 15cm with a well developed root system. It is the economical way to buy the numbers a massed border needs, and it establishes fast because the roots have not circled in a pot. Expect two to three years to full size.

Tubes travel well and arrive with the mix intact. Pot them on or plant them out within a few days, keep the soil damp, and shade them from harsh sun for a fortnight. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, a minimum order of $300 before delivery and our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete azalea care guide
• Browse the full azalea range
• How to lower soil pH for acid loving plants
• Compare other plants for partial shade

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. All azaleas and rhododendrons are toxic to cats, dogs and horses, and even a small amount of chewed leaf can cause vomiting and heart problems. Plant it where pets that chew foliage cannot reach it.

Why are the leaves turning yellow?

Usually alkaline soil locking up iron. Look for yellow leaves with green veins, then correct it with an acidifying fertiliser or iron chelate and check the mulch and watering.

Will it flower in full sun?

It will flower, but the display is shorter and the leaves often scorch. Morning sun with afternoon shade gives the best result in every climate we ship to.