'Tradition' is one of the most common cultivars sold in Mid-Atlantic nurseries and garden centers. I love the Evergreen Azalea as a flori...Read Morest plant, but not really as a landscape plant. There is a number of very similar species of these East Asian shrubs that have the tiny evergreen leaves and many slender stems. They are very bushy in full sun to somewhat bushy, of better form, in part shade. They are best to grow outside in part shade and moist, acid soil. A few can make it in USDA Zone 5b, but Zone 6a is usually the farthest north. Many people plant Evergreen Azaleas in the mid-Atlantic region of the USA just anywhere; but they don't thrive in full sun, open and windy sites, and in dry soil. I've seen many become stunted and yellow in such places. They often get attacked by the Azalea Lacebug so that the leaves get browned, especially in sun, and their foliage often gets browned during winter, especially in sun. They are over-used along the East coast and in the South and are cheap plants at any discount center. Oh!!!, that the gardening public would learn about the large number of wonderful plants that are not these, blue mophead hydrangeas, yellow thread falsecypress, red barberry, roses, peony, bearded iris, daylily, hosta, summer phlox, and some other typical, primary English garden plants.
I believe that botanists made a really bad mistake by labeling them with the scientific name of Rhododendron. That is so strange because most botanists are "splitters" and not "lumpers" as I am. I would give these kinds of plants the scientific name of "Pseudazalea", for they are not real azaleas. The real Azaleas are not as bushy, have stout stems, larger buds, deciduous leaves that get a yellow to orange, even red fall color, are softer to handle, and are more expensive, high quality plants, native to North America and Asia.
Just bought and planted this plant in zone 5 as it is being sold here regularly. Have seen it growing around this area but not often. Pla...Read Morented it in a well protected area with late morning to early evening sun as I have seen it rated full sun to partial shade at various websites. Hoping this will help it survive the zone 5 winters.
'Tradition' is one of the most common cultivars sold in Mid-Atlantic nurseries and garden centers. I love the Evergreen Azalea as a flori...Read More
Just bought and planted this plant in zone 5 as it is being sold here regularly. Have seen it growing around this area but not often. Pla...Read More