Pride of Dorking Azalea

Pride of Dorking Azalea (Rhododendron indicum 'Pride of Dorking') is the old carmine red indica azalea that still outperforms most newer selections. It builds a rounded evergreen shrub to about 1.5m tall and wide, then disappears under deep red flowers in the cooler months. Give it dappled light and acidic soil and it will do this every year with very little intervention.

Why you'll love it

• Colour when the garden is quiet. It flowers heavily through the cooler months, filling the gap before the spring flush.
• A true shade performer. Most flowering shrubs sulk under a canopy. This one prefers dappled light, so a shaded courtyard finally has an option.
• Evergreen structure all year. The small glossy leaves hold after flowering, so it still reads as a hedge in midsummer.
• Neat, predictable size. At 1.5m by 1.5m it fits under a window or along a path without needing constant cutting back.

Where it works best

Low hedging and borders. Plant 1m apart for a dense hedge. At that spacing the canopies close within two to three seasons and each plant still gets the airflow it needs.

Mass planting under trees. Grouped beneath established canopy, it turns a dim, difficult bed into a block of solid colour each winter.

Pots and courtyards. Azaleas are shallow rooted and take well to containers. Use a 400mm or larger pot with acidic potting mix and never let it dry out.

Growing Pride of Dorking Azalea in Australia

Position and climate. Partial shade, ideally with morning sun and protection from hot afternoon exposure. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, and humidity tolerance is why indica azaleas do so well along the east coast. It takes light frost only, so hard frosting inland gardens want a warm wall.

Soil. Acidic, free draining and rich in organic matter. This is the one non negotiable: in alkaline soil the leaves yellow and growth stalls. Work compost and aged pine bark through the bed, and mulch 75mm deep to keep the shallow roots cool.

Water and feed. Keep the root zone evenly moist, especially through flowering, because azaleas wilt fast once they dry. Feed a fertiliser formulated for azaleas and camellias after flowering finishes, and again in late summer.

Pruning. Trim straight after flowering, before next season's buds set. Prune later and you cut the flowers off. A light annual shear keeps a hedge tight rather than leggy.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock, as a pack of six 200mm plants and as a pack of ten 140mm plants, so the packs are the practical choice for a hedge. Tubes and 140mm plants are young and may not flower in their first season, while the 200mm plants usually set buds sooner.

Expect a few leaves to yellow and drop after transit while it adjusts, which is normal for an azalea. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the full azalea care guide.
• Compare varieties in our azalea collection.
• Learn how to make your soil more acidic.
• Browse other evergreen shrubs.

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. All azaleas and rhododendrons are toxic to cats, dogs and horses if the leaves or flowers are eaten. If pets graze your garden, choose a different shrub.

How far apart for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. Any tighter and the plants shade each other out at the base, which is how azalea hedges end up bare and woody underneath.

Why are the leaves turning yellow?

Usually soil that is too alkaline, which locks up iron. Mulch with pine bark, use an azalea fertiliser and treat with iron chelates to bring the colour back.