Rosa Belton Azalea

Rosa Belton Azalea (Rhododendron indicum 'Rosa Belton') carries white flowers finished with a soft mauve edge, a two tone effect that reads far better up close than a plain white azalea. It reaches about 1.5m tall and 1.5m wide, stays evergreen and glossy year round, and flowers heavily in late winter and spring. It prefers filtered light, so it earns its place in shaded beds.

Why you'll love it

• Two tone flowers with real detail. Each white bloom is edged and flecked in mauve, so no two plants in a row look identical.
• White works in shade. Pale flowers lift a dim bed in a way red and pink cannot.
• Evergreen all year. Out of flower it stays a dense glossy shrub at roughly 1.5m each way.
• Clips into a flowering hedge. It reshoots well from trimmed wood.
• Pollinators use it early. The open flowers give bees an easy feed at the end of winter.

Where it works best

Flowering hedges and mass planting. Plant 1m apart for a flowering hedge. That spacing lets the canopies meet over two to three seasons while each plant keeps foliage to the ground, and a mass planting at the same centres gives a sheet of white in spring.

Shaded borders, edging and pots. Run it along a southern boundary, under high open trees or beside a shaded path. A 400mm pot holds it at around 1m to 1.2m for a courtyard, though container plants dry out fast in summer.

Growing Rosa Belton Azalea in Australia

Position and climate. Morning sun and afternoon shade give the best flowering, because hot afternoon sun browns white petals within a day. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens and takes light frost only, so hard frosting districts need canopy cover or a sheltered wall.

Soil. Acidic, free draining and full of organic matter. Blend composted pine bark through the bed and plant shallow, since azalea roots are fine and surface feeding. On alkaline or heavy soil, build a raised bed.

Water and feed. Steady moisture is what it wants. Deep water twice a week through the first two summers, then weekly in dry spells, and keep 50mm of mulch clear of the stems. Feed with an azalea and camellia fertiliser once flowering ends, and again in late summer.

Pruning. Trim as soon as the last flowers drop and not after, because buds for the next season form over the following months. Taking a third of the growth shapes a hedge without leaving gaps.

What to expect when it arrives

This variety is grown as tube stock, in 140mm pots in packs of ten and in 200mm pots in packs of six. Tube stock is young, single stemmed and the practical option when you need hedge quantities. The 140mm and 200mm plants arrive already branched and often set buds in their first season.

Azaleas travel well but dry out quickly on the way, so water yours thoroughly the day it arrives. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect a month of little visible change while the fine roots spread, then steady growth. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Growing and caring for azaleas in Australia
• See every azalea variety we grow
• Carnival Rocket Azalea for a deep red alternative
• Browse plants for partial shade

Common questions

Is it safe around pets?

No. Azalea foliage is toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten, and small amounts can cause vomiting and heart problems. It is not the right shrub for a garden where an animal grazes.

Is the flower pure white?

Not quite, and that is the appeal. The base colour is white with a mauve edge and light flecking, so the effect is softer and more varied than a solid white variety.

How far apart for a hedge?

One metre apart in a single row. Each plant reaches about 1.5m across, so at 1m centres the canopies overlap into a continuous hedge.