Carnival Rocket Azalea

Carnival Rocket Azalea (Rhododendron indicum 'Carnival Rocket') gives you a wall of pure red in late winter and spring. It grows to about 1.5m tall and 1.5m wide, holds glossy evergreen foliage the rest of the year, and flowers so heavily the leaves all but disappear. It also flowers in shade, which makes it useful where most colour sulks.

Why you'll love it

• Red that reads from the street. The flowers are large and vivid, and a row of three looks like one block of colour.
• It flowers in the shade. Dappled light and morning sun suit it better than full exposure.
• Evergreen structure. Out of flower it is a neat glossy shrub at roughly 1.5m each way.
• Takes the clippers well. Run it as a flowering hedge, or hold it lower as a rounded shrub.
• Good for bees and butterflies. It blooms when little else is offering nectar.

Where it works best

Flowering hedges and mass planting. Plant 1m apart for a flowering hedge. At that spacing the canopies knit within two to three seasons and the row stays furnished at the base. The same 1m spacing suits a drift through a shaded bed.

Borders, pots and shaded beds. Use it on the southern or eastern side of a house, under high open trees, or at the back of a border. A pot 400mm or wider holds it at around 1m to 1.2m, though potted azaleas dry out fast in summer.

Growing Carnival Rocket Azalea in Australia

Position and climate. Morning sun with afternoon shade is the sweet spot, since full sun in a hot inland garden burns the foliage. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate zones and tolerates light frost only, so hard frosting districts need shelter under canopy.

Soil. Acidic, free draining and rich in organic matter. Work composted pine bark through the bed and plant shallow, because azalea roots are fine and sit near the surface. On alkaline ground, build a raised bed of acidic mix.

Water and feed. Consistent moisture matters more than volume. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers and mulch 50mm deep, kept clear of the stems. Feed with an azalea and camellia fertiliser after flowering and again in late summer.

Pruning. Prune immediately after the flowers finish, the only safe window, since trimming later removes next season's buds. Take up to a third of the growth to shape a hedge and it will reshoot readily.

What to expect when it arrives

This azalea is grown as tube stock, in 140mm pots in packs of ten and in 200mm pots in packs of six. Tubes are young single stemmed plants and the sensible choice for a long hedge, though they add a season before the row closes. The 140mm and 200mm plants are branched and often carry buds in their first season.

Azaleas are shallow rooted and dry out fast in transit, so water yours thoroughly on arrival. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect a quiet month while the fine roots move out into the surrounding soil, then steady growth. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

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

Common questions

Is it safe around pets?

No. All parts of an azalea are toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten, and even small amounts can cause vomiting and heart problems. Plant it out of reach, or choose a different shrub if your pet chews foliage.

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. Each plant spreads to about 1.5m, so at that spacing they overlap enough to read as a solid hedge without crowding each other into bare lower stems.

When should I prune it?

Straight after flowering finishes, and no later. Azaleas set buds over the following months, so a summer or autumn trim removes the next display.