Azelea

Can the ones that bloom all summer stay outside in the winter?

If you know the cultivar look it up in plant files and it will tell you the hardiness zone .. I do know that the plain ole azalea is hardy but the more exotic ones aren't.

X

Are you speaking of the Encore azaleas? If so, they should be fine outdoors in your area.

Ditto Ardesia on the Encore Azaleas. I've got 4 or 5 of them, and they seem to bloom haphazardly from March-Dec. One is in full bloom right now, the others don't even have a bud, but they flowered earlier (in July and August!). Seems to be wide variability among varieties of Encore in bloom time, but they're marvelous plants. It just makes me twitchy to see an Azalea in full bloom (well, ALMOST full bloom) in August with the thermometer reading 92... Just don't seem right somehow!

can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

in two of our last three homes, there were nice azaleas growing and blooming. at the first one, all the azaleas gave up, turned brown and died back gradually.

at this new one, our front azaleas are now dying back after 5 years of lushness, and mostly on one side. meanwhile, the camellia beside them has grown more and bloomed more. they don't crowd each other. now I'm seeing several in other beds around the house those are doing the same! HELP!

That is very strange. Have you had the soil tested? How about mulch? Azalea roots are right up there on the surface of the soil and I believe I learned last week that you had a drought in the Raleigh area recently. Could they have gotten too dry?

BTW, our trip to PD was wonderful!!!!! We also hit Montrose, Sarah P. Duke, JC Raulston, NC Botanical Gardens, the Farmer's Market, Witherspoon Roses and others I can't remember at the moment. My head is still spinning.

I've noticed the Encore azaleas don't seem to be as hardy as spring blooming azaleas. My azaleas don't seem to need anything and are drought tolerant. I see them all over Bluffton where I know they get no extra water or care. Odd you are having a problem.

ususally Witherspoons at this time of year isn't so breathtaking. Mother's Day weekend it is nirvana! and about Oct. 1st it gets a second flush.

It looked pretty nice but we had such a short time there, not to mention it was raining, the roses really couldn't be appreciated. It also poured while we were at JCR. Bummer