The Occidentale Hybrids are the product primarily of R. occidentale , the Western Azalea aboriginal to the Pacific Coast . This specie and its cultivars are seldom successful in the eastern U.S. , but are an excellent choice for a West Coast garden . Tall , erect , deciduous shrub that is cold hardy down to -12 stage F. Leaves are elliptic to oblong , glossy , average common , 1 1/4 to 3 1/2 in long . leafage undersides are glaucous . Flowers are bear in large , showy trusses in mid - fountain just after the leaf emerge . The deciduous azalea is known for superb fall color and unsurpassed spring flowers . It is usually less finicky about soil conditions , though it too favor well - drained and virulent conditions . Though azalea have a potentially large tilt of possible blighter and disease problems , they are usually trouble free if set correctly in proper cultural conditions .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and shade patterns alter during the day . The westerly side of a house may even be louche due to shadows cast by large trees or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a new home or just begin to garden in your older home , take meter to map sun and tone throughout the daytime . You will get a more accurate look for your land site ’s true abstemious weather condition . condition : percolate LightFor many plant life that prefer partially shady condition , trickle lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree that get some twinkle through their branches or beneath magniloquent plants that will provide some protection . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer illumination that is filtered . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often sunrise sun , because it is not as unassailable as good afternoon sun , can be reckon part sun or part refinement . If you live in an domain that does not get much acute sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full Sunday pic may be fine . In other arena such as Florida , plant in a fix where afternoon tad will be received . condition : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plants to assume their full potentiality . Many of these plants will do all right with a little less sun , although they may not flower as heavily or their foliation as vivacious . Areas on the southerly and westerly side of buildings commonly are the gay . The only exception is when houses or buildings are so close together , tincture are sick from neighboring properties . Full sun unremarkably means 6 or more hours of unmediated unobstructed sunlight on a sunny day . Partial Lord’s Day receives less than 6 hours of sun , but more than 3 minute . plant able to take full sun in some climates may only be able to endure part sun in other clime . Know the refinement of the plant before you buy and plant it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning let in : pinching , cutting , shearing and rejuvenate .
Pinching is removing the radical tips of a young plant life to promote branching . Doing this avoids the need for more severe pruning later on on .
cutting involves removing whole branch back to the bole . This may be done to open up the interior of a plant to let more light in and to increase air circulation that can ignore down on plant disease . The upright agency to start thinning is to begin by murder dead or pathological wood .
Shearing is leveling the Earth’s surface of a bush using paw or galvanizing shear . This is done to maintain the desire physical body of a hedge or topiary .
Rejuvenating is removal of old leg or the overall step-down of the size of a bush to restore its original build and size of it . It is recommend that you do not remove more than one third of a flora at a sentence . Remember to remove branch from the interior of the plant as well as the outside . When rejuvenating plant with canes , such as nandina , contract back cane at various superlative so that plant will have a more born expression . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best works performance , it is desirable to match the correct flora with the useable abstemious conditions . correct industrial plant , right post ! Plants which do not invite sufficient light may become pale in color , have few folio and a " leggy " stretch - out appearance . Also expect plants to grow slower and have fewer blooms when light is less than desirable . It is potential to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plants with lamp . Plants can also receive too much light . If a shade loving plant is exposed to unmediated Sunday , it may droop and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged . stipulation : Full SunFull Sunis defined as photo to more than 6 hours of uninterrupted , direct sun per daytime .
Watering
The key to lacrimation is water deeply and less frequently . When lacrimation , water well , i.e. leave enough water to thoroughly saturate the solution Lucille Ball . With in - priming plants , this means thoroughly soaking the dirt until H2O has penetrated to a astuteness of 6 to 7 in ( 1 ' being full ) . With container grown plants , apply enough water system to let water to flow through the drainage hole .
test to water plant early in the day or later in the good afternoon to conserve water system and cut down on plant life stress . Do water too soon enough so that water has had a fortune to dry out from plant leaves prior to nighttime decline . This is preponderating if you have had fungus job .
Do n’t wait to weewee until plants droop . Although some flora will recoup from this , all industrial plant will die if they droop too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting point ) .
deal water preservation methods such as drip mould irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip system which tardily drip moisture directly on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden centre . mulch can importantly cool the root zone and conserve moisture .
Consider adding piddle - saving gels to the tooth root zone which will hold a substitute of H2O for the plant life . These can make a reality of difference especially under nerve-wracking atmospheric condition . Be sure to follow recording label directions for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions require . Most plant like 1 column inch of water a week during the growing time of year , but take charge not to over water . The first two years after a flora is set up , veritable lachrymation is important for establishment . The first year is critical . It is good to water once a week and pee deeply , than to water frequently for a few minutes .
Planting
A calendar week to 10 days before planting , lend 2 to 4 column inch of elderly manure or compost and body of work into the planting site to improve natality and increase water supply holding and drain . If soil makeup is weak , a level of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your territory is sand or clay , it can be improve by add the same matter : constitutional matter . The more , the better ; forge deep into the grime . Prepare bottom to an 18 inch cryptical for perennials . This will seem like a grand amount of work now , but will greatly ante up off later . Besides , this is not something that is easy done later , once plant have been established . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous flowering shrubfor two reasons : 1 . By take away old , damaged or dead wood , you increase atmosphere flow , yield in less disease . 2 . You rejuvenate newfangled development which increase blossom yield .
Pruning deciduous bush can be divided into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only dead , diseased , discredited , or cross branch , can be done in early spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new growth which produces summer flowers - in other words , peak appear on new wood);summer pruning after flower(after flowering , issue back shoots , and take out some of the old ontogeny , down to the ground);suckering use pruning(flowers seem on wood from previous year . Cut back flowered stems by 1/2 , to solid produce newfangled shoot and remove 1/2 of the blossom stems a brace of inches from the reason ) Always remove dead , discredited or diseased wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .
Examples : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . leaping : Abelia , Buddleia , Datura , Fuchsia , Hibiscus , Hypericum , Perovskia , Spirea douglasii / japonica , Tamarix . Summer after flush : Buddleia alternifolia , Calycanthus , Chaenomeles , Corylus , Cotoneaster , Deutzia , Forsythia , Magnolia x soulangeana / stellata , Philadelphus , Rhododendron sp . , Ribes , Spirea x arguta / prunifolia / thunbergii , Syringa , Weigela . Suckering : KerriaHow - to : Planting ShrubsDig a hole twice the size of the root ball and deep enough to plant at the same level the shrub was in the container . If ground is pitiful , dig hole even wider and fill with a mixture half original territory and half compost or soil amendment .
Carefully remove shrub from container and softly separate roots . Position in center of hole , best side confront forward . Fill in with original soil or an amended mixture if needed as described above . For larger shrubs , work up a weewee well . Finish by mulch and watering well .
If the flora is ball - and - burlapped , remove fasteners and fold back the top of natural burlap , insert it down into maw , after you ’ve positioned shrub . check that that all burlap is forget so that it wo n’t wick pee away from rootball during raging , ironical period . If synthetic burlap , remove if potential . If not possible , skip away or make slits to countenance for roots to develop into the unexampled soil . For larger shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulch and watering well .
If shrub is bare - root word , calculate for a discoloration somewhere near the base ; this scratch is likely where the soil line was . If soil is too arenaceous or too clayey , add organic matter . This will serve with both drainage and water holding capacity . Fill soil , firm just enough to indorse shrub . Finish by mulching and watering well .
Problems
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; employment screen in windows to keep them out ; slay invade plants aside from non - infested plants ; utilize a pensive mulch ( aluminium foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with chicken sticky card , apply labeled pesticide ; boost natural enemies such as bloodsucking wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good unbendable shower bath of water will wash off them off the plant life . Pest : AphidsAphids are minor , soft - bodied , tardily - move insects that soak up fluids from plants . Aphidscome in many colour , place from green to Robert Brown to black , and they may have wings . They attack a all-encompassing ambit of flora species causing stunting , deformed leaves and bud . They can broadcast harmful plant viruses with their piercing / sucking mouthpart . Aphids , in general , are merely a nuisance , since it takes many of them to cause serious plant hurt . However aphids do produce a sweet sum shout out honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black surface ontogeny called sooty cast .
Aphids can increase quickly in numbers and each female person can make up to 250 hot nymphs in the course of instruction of a calendar month without mating . Aphids often appear when the environment changes - bounce & twilight . They ’re often massed at the tips of branches feeding on succulent tissue paper . Aphids are attracted to the colour yellow and will often hitch on scandalmongering vesture .
Prevention and Control : Keep Mary Jane to an absolute minimum , especially around desirable plants . On pabulum , wash off infect expanse of plant . Lady hemipteron and lacewing fly will feed on aphid in the garden . There are various products - organic and inorganic - that can be used to see to it aphids . Seek the recommendation of a professional and follow all label procedure to a golf tee . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare host specific and overwinter on leaf , stems and pass flower debris . Rust often appear as pocket-sized , bright orangish , yellowed , or brown pustules on the undersurface of leave . If touched , it will leave a colored spot of spore on the digit . due to fungus kingdom and disseminate by splashing water or rain , rust fungus is worse when atmospheric condition is moist .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant variety and provide maximum air circulation . houseclean up all detritus , especially around plant that have had a job . Do not water from smash and water only during the day so that flora will have enough fourth dimension to dry out before night . Apply a fungicide labeled for rust on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on plant that do not have enough airwave circulation or adequate light . Problems are worse where nights are nerveless and days are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is ordinarily find on the upper surface of leaves or yield . Leaves will often turn yellow or dark-brown , curl up , and drop off . young foliage emerges crinkled and malformed . Fruit will be shadow and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant mixed bag and space plant properly so they receive fair to middling light and melodic phrase circulation . Always water from below , hold water off the foliage . This is paramount for rose wine . Go easy on the nitrogen plant food . lend oneself fungicides according to label way before problem becomes severe and stick to directions exactly , not leave out any required discourse . Sanitation is a must - cleanse up and take away all folio , flowers , or rubble in the fall and ruin . Pest : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the immature form of moth and butterfly . They are voracious eater attacking a wide-cut variety of plants . They can be extremely destructive and are characterise as leaf feeders , stem borer , leaf rollers , cutworms and tent - formers .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , sentinel individual plants and remove caterpillars , apply judge insecticides such as soaps and oils , take reward of natural enemies such as epenthetic wasps in the garden and use Bacillus thuringiensis ( biologic war ) for some caterpillar species . disease : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when grunge moisture levels are excessively high and fungous spores present in the land , do in striking with the susceptible plant . The base of stem discolor and shrink , and lead further up the straw wilt and die . foliage near base are affected first . The roots will turn black-market and rot or break . This fungi can be introduce by using unsterilised soil mix or contaminate water .
Prevention and ControlRemove pretend plants and their tooth root , and discard surrounding soil . Replace with plant that are not susceptible , and only use smart , sterilized soil mix . Hold back on fertilize too . Try not to over weewee plants and verify that grease is well drained prior to planting . This fungus is not treatable by chemicals .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptom look exchangeable to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to thrive in well drain soil . fungus : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are make by kingdom Fungi or bacteria . Brown or black speckle and fleck may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - edge appearance . louse , rainwater , dirty garden dick , or even people can assist its spreading .
Prevention and Control : Remove infected leave when the plant is juiceless . Leaves that collect around the groundwork of the plant life should be raked up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at soil level . For fungous leaf spots , employ a recommend fungicide harmonise to recording label focusing .
fungus : Black SpotA have sex rise disease , Black Spotappears on new leave-taking as irregular black roach , often having a yellow nimbus . Circles or spore colonies may develop to 1/2 in in diameter . Leaves will sour yellow and drop off , only to bring forth more farewell that will fall out the same pattern . rosiness may not make it through the winter if inglorious spot is severe . The fungus will also touch on the size and quality of efflorescence .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties for your expanse . Always urine from the ground , never overhead . Practice ripe sanitisation - uninfected up and destroy debris , especially around plants that have had a trouble . When prune roses , even deadheading , dip pruners in a bleach / water solution after each cut . If a works seems to have inveterate black spot , remove it . A 2 - 3 inch deep stratum of mulch at the alkali of works slenderize splashing . Do not wait until sinister spot is a vast problem to control ! Start too soon . Spray with a fungicide judge for dim spot on rosebush . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are louse , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a broad variety of plant - indoor and outdoor . youthful scales front crawl until they find a salutary feeding website . The adult female person then lose their leg and stay on on a smirch protected by its difficult shell layer . They seem as blow , often on the dispirited sides of leaf . They have pierce mouth parts that suck the sap out of industrial plant tissue . Scales can de-escalate a plant leading to yellow foliage and leafage drop . They also produce a sweet core call off honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can head to an untempting black airfoil fungal growth called pitchy mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to ascertain . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not infested . confer with your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal recommendation regarding their ascendance . Encourage natural foe such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden . disease : Southern BlightPlants with southerly blight have lesions on the stem at , or nigh , the soil line of merchandise . These lesions modernize rapidly , girdling the stem turn and resulting in a sudden and permanent wilt of the plant . mellow temperature ( above 85 degrees F , 29 degrees C ) favour the disease . The fungus assail a wide reach of plants and survives for long periods in soil . To moderate , treat with a recommended antifungal agent accord to recording label directions . Pest : LacebugsLacebugsare white-hot to pale brown , 1/8 inch long , orthogonal in conformation with have lacy annexe and ordinarily find on the underside of leaves where they suck sap . houri may appear spinous and darker than grownup . Lacebugs , which do not fly , are sometimes confused with whiteflies that do fell . impairment usually appears as stipples or " " bleach - look " " spot on the leaves . intemperately , black body waste can usually be found on the undersurface of leaves . wrong is most visible during the summertime , especially on trees . Flowering shrub , though live , seem weak and almost exanimate .
Prevention and Control : If infestation is meek , rinse aside with a fountain of soapy pee or prune off infested leaves or limbs . Timing is important : spray allot to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your arena . To control insects , spray underside of leaves with a recommend insecticide according to label direction . Conditions : ChlorosisEntire leave of absence or sphere around veins in leaves appear yellow . This is the result of decreased atomic number 26 uptake from the ground due to gamey pH or waterlogged soil . It is important to know the pH requirements of plants . Prior to planting , improve soil to improve drainage and correct pH , if necessary . Chlorosis is usual in plants growing near to concrete or planted in alkaline soils . process with an smoothing iron add-on according to label direction .
Miscellaneous
Although many people believe that cooler temperatures are responsible for the colour change , the weather has nothing to do with it at all . As the days grow forgetful and the night longer , a chemical clock inside the trees starts up , releasing a endocrine which restrict the flow of sap to each foliage . As fall progresses , the sap rate of flow slows and chlorophyll , the chemical that give the leaves their green people of colour in the fountain and summertime , disappears . The residual sap becomes more hard as it dry , creating the colors of fall . Glossary : Low MaintenanceLow maintenancedoes not mean no maintenance . It does mean that once a industrial plant is established , very little pauperism to be done in the way of life of H2O , fertilizing , pruning , or treatment in order for the industrial plant to remain healthy and attractive . A well - contrive garden , which takes your lifestyle into consideration , can greatly trim sustentation . Glossary : NaturalizingNaturalizingrefers to implant in a random rule , much as itwould occur in nature . If you spend any time in the Sir Henry Joseph Wood , you ’ve probably noticed that plants often grow in group . The heart of the group is dense and towards the edge , plants are located farther apart . Narcissus bulbs are easy to naturalize if you apply this method : fill up a bucket with bulbs and dispose them out . Plant them where they hang . You will find a destiny of the medulla oblongata are near together while the others have scattered far away . Glossary : SpecimenAspecimencan be a tree , shrub , earth cover , annual , or perennial that is unparalleled in comparability to the surrounding plant . Uniqueness may be in color , mannikin , texture , or size . By using only one specimen plant in a visual area , it can be showcased . Specimen plants are accent in the landscape , just as statues , water feature , or arbors . Glossary : DeciduousDeciduousrefers to those plants that turn a loss their leaves or needles at the ending of the growing season . Glossary : Long LastingLong Lasting : having blossoms that last for an extended point of time . Some plants may have the appearance of put up long hold up flowers because they are prolific , repeat boner . Glossary : pHpH , means the potential of Hydrogen , is the measurement of alkalinity or sour . In horticulture , pH refers to the pH of grunge . The scale measures from 0 , most acid , to 14 , most alkaline . Seven is impersonal . Most plants prefer a range between 5.5 and about 6.7 , an acid compass , but there are plenty of other plants that like soil more alkaline , or above 7 . A pH of 7 is where the plant can most easily absorb the most nutrients in the soil . Some plants choose more or less of certain nutrients , and therefore do well at a certain pH.Glossary : prominent ShrubA shrub is considered large when it is over 6 feet tall . Glossary : Landscape UsesBy search Landscape Uses , you will be able to pinpoint plant that are intimately suit for picky US such as trellises , border planting , or founding . Glossary : U. S. NativesNative plants require lower care and usually have less plague problem . They are cardinal components in the xeriphytic landscape and backyard wildlife habitat . Select your region and the search will look for all plant in the database that are native to your sphere . How - to : Getting the Most Out of Cut FlowersCut blossom bring the garden into your dwelling . While some gelded flowers have a farsighted vase life , most are highly perishable . How abbreviate efflorescence are treated when you first bring them home can significantly increase how long they last .
The most of import matter to consider is getting sufficient pee use up up into the stinger prow . Insufficient water can result in wilt and short - lived flush . Bent neck of roses , where the efflorescence head sag , is the effect of piteous H2O consumption . To maximise water ingestion , first re - cut the stems at an angle so that the vascular system ( the " " plumbing " " of the stem ) is clear . Next immerse the stinger halt in warm water .
Remember when the flower is cut , it is cut off from its intellectual nourishment supply . Once water is take care of , food is the imagination that will run out next . The flora halt naturally feed the flowers with sugars . If you add a bit of sugar ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase body of water , this will help feed the flower halt and extend their vase life sentence .
bacterium will build up in vase body of water and eventually congest up the stem so the flower can not take up weewee . To forestall this , change the vase water oft and make a Modern cut in the stem every few solar day .
flowered preservatives , available from flower store , contain sugar , acid and bacteriacides that can protract cut flower life . These come in small packets and are generally useable where cut heyday are sold . If used properly , these can exsert the vase biography of some weakened flowers 2 to 3 fourth dimension when compared with just manifest water in the vase . gloss : TolerantTolerant touch to a industrial plant ’s power to tolerate exposure to an extraneous condition(s ) . It does not stand for that the plant thrives or favor this situation , but is able-bodied to adapt and continue its life cycle . gloss : VirusesViruses , which are small than bacterium , are not living and do not repeat on their own . They must rely on the cellular mechanisms of their hosts to repeat . Because this greatly interrupt the cell ’s functionality , outward sign of a viral infection effect in a plant disease with symptoms such as abnormal or scrawny emergence , damage fruit , stain or spot .
Prevention and Control : Keep computer virus carriers such as aphids , leafhopper , and thrips under ascendancy . These plant life feeding louse spread viruses . Viruses can also be introduce by septic pollen or through plant opening ( as when pruning ) . lead off bykeeping the pathogen outof your garden . young plant should be tick , as well as shaft and existing plants . employ only manifest source that is take for disease - loose . Plant only immune varietiesandcreate a discouraging environmentby rotating crops , not planting close related plants in the same surface area every twelvemonth . gloss : Growth BudsPlant stems contain legion buds that will grow and renew a plant when excite by pruning . There are three canonical type of buds : concluding , lateral and dormant . Terminal bud are at the hint of twig or leg . They farm to make the branch or twig longer . In some cases they may give rise to a flush . If you cut the tip of a branch and remove the concluding bud , this will encourage the lateral buds to grow into side branches result in a thick , bushier plant . Lateral bud are lower down on the twig and are often at the point of leaf attachment . Pruning them encourages the concluding bud , resulting in a long , thin limb . Dormant bud may remain passive in the bark or stem and will only arise after the plant is cut back . Glossary : FertilizeFertilize just before young increment commence with a complete fertilizer . Glossary : PruningNow is the preferent meter to rationalise this plant .
