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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Tip of the Week — 5/6/08

Posted in Gardening Tips on May 6 2008, by Sonia Uyterhoeven

Amazing Azaleas
Sonia Uyterhoeven is Gardener for Public Education at The New York Botanical Garden.

Amazing Azaleas One of my favorite springtime plants is the native azalea. It is a versatile shrub that is often overlooked by homeowners. Azaleas have spectacular blooms in spring, some are incredibly fragrant (nice and spicy), and many have outrageous fall color.

Most native azaleas grow from 5 to 8 feet tall and rarely need any pruning. Like all members of the heath family (Ericaceae), they prefer acidic soil and like their feet kept cool because of their shallow roots (apply good leaf litter or mulch at their base).

These shrubs thrive in partial sunlight. Native azaleas flower from late April into July in this part of the world. Try the Pinxterbloom Azalea (Rhododendron periclymenoides) and the Pinkshell Azalea (Rhododendron vaseyi) for early season bloom and end with the Cumberland Azalea (Rhododendron bakeri) or the evergreen Plum-leaf Azalea (Rhododendron prunifolium). They make fairly easy-going companions for your garden.