Red Wing Azalea

Red Wing Azalea (Rhododendron indicum 'Red Wing') carries large, clear red blooms from late winter through spring on a rounded shrub of about 1.5m each way. It is an indica azalea, the group bred for warm Australian gardens, and it flowers heavily in dappled shade where most flowering shrubs give up. Planted a metre apart it forms an informal hedge that turns solid red for two months. Azaleas are toxic to cats and dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Colour when the garden is bare. Large red flowers open in late winter and keep going through spring, before the summer perennials start.
• It flowers in shade. Dappled light under established trees is where an indica azalea does its best work, and that is the hardest position to get colour from.
• A predictable size. About 1.5m tall and wide, so it fits a border without an annual fight.
• Humidity and wind tolerant. Muggy summers and an exposed position do not knock it about the way they do many flowering shrubs.

Where it works best

Informal hedging and mass planting. Plant 1m apart in a single row for a loose flowering hedge around 1.2m to 1.5m. It will not clip into a hard formal shape, so treat it as a soft billowing wall.

Borders and edging under trees. A row along the shaded side of a path gives a long flowering season where the garden usually stays green and dull.

Pots and containers. A pot 400mm or wider with an acidic mix keeps it nearer 1m, though potted azaleas dry out fast.

Growing Red Wing Azalea in Australia

Position and climate. Dappled shade, or morning sun with afternoon shade. Full hot sun bleaches the flowers and scorches leaf edges. Subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens all suit it, but it takes light frost only, so in hard frosting districts plant it under a canopy.

Soil. Acidic and free draining, with plenty of organic matter. The roots sit in the top 200mm of soil, so the plant resents waterlogging and dry compacted ground equally. Yellow leaves with green veins are the signal to lower the pH.

Water and feed. Keep the root zone evenly moist through the first two summers, since shallow roots dry out early. Mulch 75mm deep, clear of the stem. Feed an azalea and camellia fertiliser after flowering, and again in late summer.

Pruning. Prune within a month of the last flower. Next season's buds set on the growth that follows, so a late trim costs you the display.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in four sizes: tube stock, 140mm pots in packs of ten, 200mm pots in packs of six, and 250mm pots in packs of three. Tube and 140mm plants are young and small, and the right buy for a mass planting or a long border. The 200mm and 250mm plants are already bushy and usually flower in their first season.

Azaleas travel well, but the flowers do not, so a plant shipped in bud may arrive with a few blooms knocked off. That is cosmetic. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete azalea care guide
• Browse the full azalea range
• Other plants that flower in partial shade
• How to lower soil pH for acid loving plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. That gives each plant room to reach its natural 1.5m width while the canopies still meet, so the hedge closes without the lower branches shading each other out.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Every azalea and rhododendron is toxic to cats, dogs and horses, and the leaves are the dangerous part. If a pet in your household chews plants, choose something else.

Why are the leaves turning yellow between the veins?

The soil pH is too high and the plant cannot take up iron. Mulch with composted pine bark, use a fertiliser formulated for azaleas, and keep lime away from the root zone.