Orange Delight Azalea

Orange Delight Azalea (Rhododendron x hybridum 'Orange Delight', still sold under the older name Azalea x hybrida) brings a colour the azalea group rarely offers. It settles at about 1m tall and 1m across, small enough for a large pot yet substantial enough to carry a border, and the warm orange flowers open in one solid flush.

Why you'll love it

• Orange, which is unusual here. Most azaleas run pink, white or mauve. This one reads warm and bright against dark foliage.
• It stays a manageable size. Roughly 1m by 1m, so it will not swallow a courtyard or outgrow a pot.
• It prefers the shade you already have. Filtered light and morning sun suit it, so it earns a spot on the south side of a house.
• Humidity is not a problem. Built for subtropical and warm temperate gardens, including the humid coastal strip.
• Bees and butterflies work the flowers. A real contribution in a garden that is otherwise mostly foliage.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. A pot 400mm or wider with an acidic mix suits it, and it holds its shape for years. Potted azaleas dry out fast in summer.

Borders and mass planting. Plant 70cm apart for a full block of colour. At that spacing the plants meet without crowding and still get the air movement they need.

Feature planting. A single plant beside a shaded entry gives a defined seasonal moment without ongoing work.

Growing Orange Delight Azalea in Australia

Position and climate. Partial shade is the sweet spot. Morning sun with afternoon protection gives the best flower colour, while deep shade thins flowering and hot sun burns the leaves. It suits subtropical and warm temperate gardens and takes light frost only, so hard frosting southern and inland gardens need a sheltered wall or a movable pot.

Soil. Acidic, free draining and rich in organic matter. Azaleas are surface rooted, so work compost into the top layer rather than digging deep, and mulch 50mm kept clear of the stem.

Water and feed. Keep the root zone evenly moist through the first two summers, watering deeply twice a week. Feed an azalea and camellia fertiliser after flowering and again in late summer.

Pruning. Trim lightly straight after the flowers finish. Leave it later and you cut off next season's buds. It reshoots from older wood, so a leggy plant can be cut back harder.

What to expect when it arrives

This variety is grown as tube stock. Tubes are young plants, usually 15 to 25cm tall with a few branches, and they are the affordable way to plant a border. Expect a season before the first real flush, and two to three years to reach 1m.

Tube stock travels well because the root ball is compact and the plant is light. Plant it out within a week, keep the mix damp while the roots move out, and shelter it from wind and hot sun for a fortnight. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the complete azalea care guide
• Compare colours and sizes across the azalea range
• Find companions in plants for partial shade
• Browse plants suited to pots and containers

Common questions

How far apart should I plant them?

70cm apart gives a full, connected mass planting without the plants competing. If you want each shrub to stand alone as a rounded specimen, stretch that to a metre.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. All azaleas contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to cats and dogs if leaves or flowers are eaten. Keep it out of reach if your pet chews plants.

Why are the leaves going yellow between the veins?

Usually iron deficiency caused by soil too alkaline for an azalea. Correct it with an acidifying fertiliser and a chelated iron drench, and check the pH before planting more there.