Which azaleas are evergreen

Instead of losing all their leaves once a year, evergreens replace leaves a few at a time or in overlapping seasonal growth cycles. Some plants, including some Azalea varieties, are considered semi-deciduous or semi-evergreen. Semi-deciduous plants lose their leaves just as they begin to put out new growth. Semi-evergreens keep only some of their leaves in the winter or dry season.

Some plants that are normally evergreen or deciduous may appear semi-deciduous or semi-evergreen if grown in a different climate or during a year with unusual weather, which may happen with Azaleas. Deciduous Azaleas lose their leaves in the winter and grow them back in the spring. Evergreen Azaleas may lose some of their leaves in the winter and look less full than they do in the summer.

Wait until spring, and you will likely see the leaves and flowers come back. The exception is if you know you have an evergreen Azalea variety that has lost most of its leaves. In that case, you should look into whether the growing conditions are appropriate or if the plant is being affected by disease or pests. Azaleas that are originally native to North America are primarily deciduous, while those native to Asia are mostly evergreen.

There are a handful of deciduous Azaleas that are native to Eastern Europe and Asia. Azaleas belong to two subgenera of the Rhododendron genus, Pentanthera and Tsutsusi.

The Pentanthera subgenus contains the deciduous Azaleas, and the Tsutsusi subgenus represents the evergreen Azaleas. Tsutsusi Azaleas are sometimes classified as a section of the Azaleastrum subgenus rather than as their own subgenus. If you want to learn more about the classifications of Azaleas, click here. If your Azalea keeps most of its leaves in the winter, it is evergreen. Many deciduous Azaleas change colors in the fall.

Awesome, huh?! My favorite series of these reblooming azalea types are the Encore Azaleas. So what are Encore Azaleas? They are hardy evergreen azaleas that bring year-round beauty! Enjoy amethyst purple flowers for 3 seasons! Autumn Angel Encore Azalea. This dwarf white azalea is perfect for pots. It also goes anywhere in your landscape. Autumn Belle Encore Azalea. The Autumn Belle has gorgeous light pink blooms peppered with dark pink splotches on the center.

Autumn Bonfire Encore Azalea. Amazing true red blooms on an evergreen azalea! This plant is perfect for someone who loves pops of red color in their landscape. Autumn Carnation Encore Azalea. This pretty pink azalea is lovely in foundation plantings.

The Autumn Carnation is a prolific bloomer with large flowers. Autumn Chiffon Encore Azalea. The Autumn Chiffon is similar to the Autumn Belle, but is more petite and compact. The terms light, medium and dark are used to designate degrees of value and the term 'very' just extends the range. Names of colors from color horticultural color charts to industrial paint chips to artistic names have added to the confusion in defining a particular color or shade.

For instance, the term 'Strong Red' has also been called grenadine, burnt orange, orange red, vermilion, scarlet, coral rose, red, coral red, etc. Evergreen azalea colors extend through all the red, orange red, pink, purple, white shades, with the quest for a true yellow evergreen still eluding us.

While the deciduous azaleas, particularly in the white range of colors, are noted for their varying fragrances, few evergreen azaleas show evidence of exhibiting any fragrance at all. Only a single evergreen species has a faint fragrance, and its hybrids are not noted for the trait. Leaves are noted by their varying size and coloration with white varieties usually lighter in color and having less fall change before dropping than other more highly colored varieties.

Leaves may be hairy, like R. Leaves of a few azaleas may curl or twist. Recently, variegated color has become highly prized with several variegated Satsuki hybrids like 'Keisetsu' and 'Ukinishiki'; the newer introduction of 'Girard's Variegated Gem', 'Silver Streak', and 'Bordered Gem'; and the Southern Indian 'Southern Belle'. Most of the variegated foliages have to be appreciated on closer inspection, as at a distance there is only a change in general shade of the shrub.

Individual blossoms on an evergreen azalea will last about ten days. Depending on the varieties chosen, it is possible to have evergreen azaleas blooming in a garden from late March through June, and now with the advent of fall-blooming hybrids, the season can resume in mid-August till frost. This display would combine the larger shrubs with large flowers in the Southern Indians; the pastel to intense shades of deciduous azalea R.

The same effect can be created later in the season with careful selection of midseason Glenn Dale, Gable, Girard, Linwood, and early Back Acre hybrids combined with deciduous R.

A number of other evergreen azaleas have become recognized for fall-blooming tendencies over the years and have been further hybridized to emphasize that trait. While not completely covered with blossoms, re-bloomers do present a very satisfactory effect in the fall garden. Though they have been used as green house forcing pot plants and as bonsai, the primary use of evergreen azaleas, except in extreme cold areas, is in the landscape.

A landscape design is enhanced with the use of scale and texture in the composition. A total landscape plan invites a person into the garden presenting a harmonious surround of natural textures and forms, introducing new and exciting vistas at each turn. The size of a garden need not affect the feeling produced in advancing through each garden room.

The blending of trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs, natives, ground covers, with natural stone or man-made features enhance the gardening experience. For best performance, evergreen azaleas need high shade and protection from afternoon sun and high winds.

A soil on the acid side that offers good drainage is considered essential. An amended loamy soil that breathes allows oxygen to penetrate is best. While a little fertilization will benefit evergreens, properly planted, mulched, and watered plants will be happy for many years with only occasional pruning to keep them shaped up and in their place.

Evergreen azaleas do not respond well to heavy feeding. It would be best to provide a light, long-lasting fertilizer with micro-nutrients. Fertilization should be eased off in the fall to prevent late growth that would not have time to harden off before the first hard freeze. A loss of vitality and leaf color could be the result of low magnesium which is easily remedied by the addition of Epsom salt magnesium sulfate to the medium.

Being well sited and planted is the best treatment that an evergreen azalea can have. When attending to a bed, less is always better. Fortunately, in regards to pests and disease problems, evergreens offer only a few real problems that require systemic intervention. Lace bugs can become a problem in sunny situations in which the insects suck the underside of the leaves, leaving a bleached appearance to the foliage.

This requires intervention with an insecticidal soap or a good systemic insecticide to halt the spread of the damage. Except in the most severe cases, terminating the insects will allow new healthy leaf growth to replace the old foliage, which should then be raked away to prevent a reoccurrence. Whitefly can be a real nuisance to some species and cultivars and requires the repeated sprayings with a horticultural oil, pyrethrin-based product, or other insecticide to get rid of the problem.

Spider mites are another under leaf problem that can drain the vitality of a plant. Lovely dark green foliage. Ideal for containers and small gardens. Easy to grow. Group:Evergreen Azalea kaempferi hybrid. Parentage: parentage unknown. Hybridization date: pre pre Bred by: Vuyk van Nes.

Origin: Dutch. Habit: Compact. Ideal position: Most Evergreen Azalea Arctic Fox H5 Spectacular pure white 60mm large open funnel shaped flowers with a wavy edge in May, on a fairly compact growing evergreen azalea with matt green hairy leaves. A recent variety that was bred in Scotland for tougher conditions. Ideal for containers and most garden situations, including rock gardens and front of borders. Group: Evergreen Azalea Parentage Evergreen Azalea Babuschka This is a tough, neat and compact growing plant with stunning double carmine rose flowers in late May.

Ideal for containers and small gardens, including rock gardens and front of borders. Group:Evergreen Azalea Hachmann hybrid. Bred by: H. Origin: German. Evergreen Azalea Ben Morrison Large deep orange-pink flowers, with red spotting and white wavy edging flowering in May. This is a vigorous plant with an upright open habit. A very striking bicoloured azalea. Ideal for Evergreen Azalea Betty Anne Voss Attractive, large light pink double flowers around 75mm wide and flowering in late May.

We think this is a lovely plant, particularly because the flowers open like a rosebud. It has a compact spreading habit and is very hardy plant. Ideal for containers. Great for cascading over walls.

Group: Evergreen Azalea Robin Hill hybrid. Parentage: 'Louise Gable' Evergreen Azalea Big Point H6 Stunning large mauve purple flowers, up to 80mm across, with prominent reddish spotting on the upper lobes, which smother the plant in May.

The foliage is dark green and also shows good autumn colours. A compact and very hardy plant with a spreading habit. Evergreen Azalea Bloom Champion Pink H5 Lovely rose pink flowers, with an interesting darker centre and frilly edging. The substantial flowers are about 60mm across, and the plants will form a squat mound typically about 75cm high by 90cm wide in 10 years..

Bloom Champion Azaleas are a fantastic new range of repeat flowering azaleas that have been bred in America! Large trumpet shaped flowers initially appear in spring, covering the Evergreen Azalea Bloom Champion Purple H5 Large pinky purple flowers, with reddish stamens and reddish spotting on the upper lobe.

The substantial flowers are about 60mm in diameter and the plant will form a squat mound typically about 75cm high by 90cm wide in 10 years.. Large trumpet shaped flowers initially appear in spring, Evergreen Azalea Blue Danube AGM With intense large violet blue flowers, with deeper purple red spotting this lovely old variety is very hardy. Flowering in May, it has an upright spreading habit with flowers approximately mm wide.

Please note this variety will drop most of its leaves in the Winter months Ideal for containers, small gardens and mixed borders. Group:Evergreen Azalea The flowers are large up to 5 to 6cm.

It forms a neat and small growing plant with a height and spread 30 x 80cm in 10 years. Great for cascading over walls and to extend the flowering season. Group: Evergreen Evergreen Azalea Chipmunk Prolific bright pink hose in hose double flowers in late June up to 55cm across. This is a lovely compact plant with neat glossy foliage. Ideal for containers and small gardens and to extend the flowering season. Group:Evergreen Azalea Northern European hybrid.

Bred by: P. This is a really useful plant to extend the flowering season well into the summer, and we have several groups planted in the gardens at Crosswater Farm. Tough and hardy.

Ideal for containers and small gardens, ideally planted in groups to maximise effect.