What is an Azalea?
An Azalea is defined as any of various shrubs of the genus Rhododendron having showy, variously colored flowers. One of the major differences between azaleas and the rest of the rhododendron family is their size. Another is their flower growth. Rhododendrons grow their flowers in clusters, while most azaleas have terminal blooms (one flower per flower stem). However, they have so many stems that during the flowering season they are a solid mass of color. The exception to this rule is a small group of azaleas which grow their flowers in tight terminal clusters that look like little balls of color. Native Azaleas are among the most beautiful native flowering shrubs. Gardeners enjoy these beautiful flowers and the delightful fragrance they provide. Bloom times range from early Spring through August. The flower colors range from white to many shades of pink, red, yellow, orange and salmon. Native Azaleas are deciduous shrubs, which means they lose their leaves during the winter. Mature pla
Azaleas have funnel-shaped flowers which grow one to a stem, in colors which can include white, yellow, orange, red, purple, and pink, among others. The plants come into bloom in the spring, and they are covered in stems, so the whole plant can become a solid mass of color. Blooming usually lasts around two months, after which the flowers will drop off, and the foliage will persist for several more months before dropping in the fall. Some azalea cultivars are dwarf varieties, ideal for things like edging flower beds and growing in pots, while others can grow quite large if they are given the space to do so. All prefer acidic, slightly damp soil, and they need to be kept out of the wind and in partial shade. Shade is key during the heat of the day, when the plants are very vulnerable to damage. These plants are typically grown from cuttings, because growing from seed can be unreliable and painstaking. Many garden supply stores carry young azalea plants suitable for transplanting, and it
Azaleas are to the Gulf Coast what cherry trees are to Washington, D.C., and tulips to New England — the essence of spring. Except the azaleas are far more versatile and varied, and by any measure, more spectacular. The azaleas are a big family of flowering shrubs with an unusually rich range of flower colors and forms. Yes, so what does a Gulf Coast azalea look like? That’s a hard question, since azaleas are so varied. But Mobile’s most famous azaleas — the Southern Indians — are unmistakable. The flowers are often as wide as your palm, and they come in intense mixtures of colors that are easy to spot but hard to describe — purple burgundy, watermelon pink, bluish lavender, salmon red. These flowers literally cover huge evergreen shrubs that can eventually be as big as a Volkswagen bus. In the spring light, the effect of these big glowing blobs of color is otherworldly. Other types of azaleas — including Alabama’s wild honeysuckle azaleas — grow into small, slender trees, and produce
