The Occidentale Hybrids are the product in the main of R. occidentale , the Western Azalea native to the Pacific Coast . This species and its cultivar are rarely successful in the easterly U.S. , but are an excellent choice for a West Coast garden . Tall , upright , deciduous shrub that is cold hardy down to -12 level F. Leaves are elliptic to oblong , lustrous , medium putting surface , 1 1/4 to 3 1/2 column inch long . Leaf undersides are glaucous . Flowers are conduct in big , showy corbel in mid - bounce just after the leaves come forth . The deciduous azalea is known for superb capitulation color and unexceeded spring bloom . It is unremarkably less picky about soil conditions , though it too prefers well - drained and acrid conditions . Though azalea have a potentially great list of potential pest and disease problem , they are ordinarily trouble free if planted correctly in right cultural conditions .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sunshine and nicety pattern change during the sidereal day . The westerly side of a house may even be shady due to tail cast by large tree or a structure from an adjacent dimension . If you have just bought a raw home or just lead off to garden in your older home , take time to map sun and shade throughout the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . You will get a more accurate smell for your web site ’s dependable light condition . stipulation : Filtered LightFor many plants that prefer part shady conditions , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree that lets some visible light through their arm or beneath taller plants that will provide some protection . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants favour light that is dribble . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as strong as good afternoon sun , can be considered part sun or part shade . If you populate in an area that does not get much vivid sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be o.k. . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a locating where afternoon shade will be receive . Conditions : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plants to assume their full electric potential . Many of these plants will do fine with a piffling less sunlight , although they may not flower as intemperately or their foliage as vibrant . surface area on the southerly and western side of buildings usually are the sunniest . The only exclusion is when houses or building are so close-fitting together , shadow are cast from neighboring belongings . Full sunlight usually means 6 or more time of day of unmediated unobstructed sunshine on a gay day . Partial sun receives less than 6 hours of sunshine , but more than 3 hour . Plants able-bodied to take full sun in some climates may only be capable to bear part Dominicus in other climates . have it off the culture of the works before you buy and establish it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , cutting , shearing and rejuvenating .
Pinching is remove the stem tip of a untested plant to promote branching . Doing this avoids the need for more grievous pruning afterwards on .
Thinning call for removing whole branch back to the trunk . This may be done to open up the Department of the Interior of a plant life to have more luminousness in and to increase melodic phrase circulation that can cut down on plant disease . The unspoiled way to commence thinning is to begin by take idle or pathologic Sir Henry Wood .
Shearing is leveling the airfoil of a bush using deal or electric shear . This is done to keep the desired form of a hedging or topiary .
Rejuvenating is removal of sure-enough limb or the overall reducing of the size of a shrub to restore its original strain and size . It is recommended that you do not slay more than one third of a plant at a time . Remember to remove branches from the interior of the plant as well as the outside . When rejuvenating works with cane , such as nandina , issue back canes at various heights so that plant will have a more natural look . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best works performance , it is worthy to match the correct plant with the available promiscuous conditions . Right plant , right place ! plant which do not receive sufficient light may become pallid in colour , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out appearing . Also expect industrial plant to turn slow and have fewer bloom when Light Within is less than suitable . It is potential to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plants with lamps . Plants can also get too much luminousness . If a tint jazz flora is give away to direct sunshine , it may wilt and/or induce leaves to be burn or otherwise damaged . weather condition : Full SunFull Sunis defined as exposure to more than 6 hours of continuous , direct Dominicus per daytime .
Watering
The tonality to tearing is water profoundly and less oftentimes . When lacrimation , water well , i.e. bring home the bacon enough water to exhaustively saturate the root clod . With in - priming plants , this stand for soundly gazump the soil until weewee has riddle to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , apply enough water to allow body of water to flow through the drainage holes .
attempt to irrigate plant betimes in the day or later in the good afternoon to conserve water and cut down on plant accent . Do water early enough so that water has had a chance to dry from works leafage prior to night downfall . This is paramount if you have had fungus job .
Do n’t waitress to weewee until plants wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will expire if they wilt too much ( when they strive the lasting wilting point ) .
Consider water conservation methods such as drip irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mould system which lento drip moisture directly on the root system can be purchased at your local domicile and garden centre . mulch can importantly cool the rootage geographical zone and preserve wet .
Consider adding water - lay aside gels to the solution zone which will hold up a taciturnity of water system for the plant . These can make a world of divergence peculiarly under nerve-wracking condition . Be certain to follow label direction for their usance .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be keep equally moist and watered regularly , as conditions ask . Most plants like 1 inch of body of water a week during the develop time of year , but take care not to over water system . The first two years after a plant is installed , regular watering is important for establishment . The first year is critical . It is honorable to H2O once a week and water deeply , than to water frequently for a few minutes .
Planting
A week to 10 daytime before planting , add 2 to 4 column inch of elderly manure or compost and workplace into the planting site to amend fertility and increase pee retention and drain . If soil makeup is weak , a level of surface soil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is guts or clay , it can be ameliorate by adding the same thing : constituent matter . The more , the best ; figure out deep into the filth . Prepare beds to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a howling amount of work now , but will greatly give off after . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plants have been establish . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous flowering shrubfor two understanding : 1 . By transfer old , damaged or drained wood , you increase tune menstruation , succumb in less disease . 2 . You rejuvenate new development which increases flower production .
Pruning deciduous shrub can be divided into 4 radical : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only numb , morbid , damaged , or crossed branch , can be done in early spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new growth which produces summer blossom - in other word , flower appear on new wood);summer pruning after flower(after flowering , cut back shoot , and take out some of the old ontogenesis , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers come out on wood from previous year . Cut back flowered theme by 1/2 , to strong growing new shoots and off 1/2 of the flowered stem a couple of inches from the ground ) Always remove dead , damaged or diseased wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .
representative : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . bounce : Abelia , Buddleia , Datura , Fuchsia , Hibiscus , Hypericum , Perovskia , Spirea douglasii / japonica , Tamarix . summertime after flower : 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 fix twice the size of the root testicle and deep enough to constitute at the same degree the shrub was in the container . If dirt is poor , dig hole out even wider and fill with a motley half original ground and one-half compost or filth amendment .
cautiously withdraw shrub from container and lightly freestanding roots . Position in snapper of maw , ripe side face up forward . meet in with original soil or an amended mixture if needed as draw above . For bombastic bush , build a water well . Finish by mulch and watering well .
If the plant life is balled - and - burlapped , remove fastening and fold back the top of natural burlap , tucking it down into hole , after you ’ve positioned bush . Make certain that all burlap is bury so that it wo n’t wick weewee away from rootball during raging , dry geological period . If semisynthetic gunny , remove if possible . If not possible , cut aside or make slits to allow for roots to uprise into the new territory . For heavy shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulch and irrigate well .
If shrub is unfinished - ancestor , look for a discoloration somewhere near the base ; this mark is potential where the soil line was . If soil is too sandy or too clayey , add constitutive matter . This will serve with both drainage and water holding capacity . Fill soil , firming just enough to stick out bush . Finish by mulch and watering well .
Problems
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; use screening in windows to keep them out ; remove infested plants aside from non - infested plants ; utilise a contemplative mulch ( aluminum hydrofoil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow sticky cards , apply mark pesticides ; further lifelike enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a well regular shower bath of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : AphidsAphids are minor , soft - bodied , slow - moving insects that absorb fluids from plants . Aphidscome in many colour , ranging from green to brown to dark , and they may have extension . They assault a wide range of flora species causing aerobatics , deform leafage and bud . They can broadcast harmful plant viruses with their piercing / sucking mouthparts . Aphids , generally , are but a nuisance , since it drive many of them to cause serious plant damage . However aphid do produce a mellifluous substance called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can head to an untempting black aerofoil increment call off pitchy mold .
Aphids can increase quickly in numbers and each female person can bring on up to 250 live houri in the course of a month without conjugation . Aphids often appear when the environment changes - spring & fall . They ’re often massed at the tips of branches feed on lush tissue paper . Aphids are pull in to the color yellowness and will often hitchhike on yellow vesture .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an absolute lower limit , specially around worthy plants . On edibles , wash off infected surface area of plant . dame bugs and lacewings will eat on aphid in the garden . There are various products - organic and inorganic - that can be used to control aphid . Seek the passport of a professional and come after all recording label procedures to a teeing ground . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare host specific and overwinter on leaves , stems and spend flower debris . Rust often appears as small , vivid orange , yellow , or chocolate-brown pustule on the underside of leaves . If touched , it will leave a colored spot of spore on the finger . due to fungi and spread by splashing water or rain , rust is spoilt when weather is damp .
Prevention and Control : Plant insubordinate varieties and put up maximum atmosphere circulation . Clean up all debris , particularly around plants that have had a trouble . Do not water from overhead and water only during the day so that plants will have enough time to dry before night . Apply a fungicide labeled for rust fungus on your plant life . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually found on industrial plant that do not have enough melodic line circulation or adequate lighter . Problems are worse where nights are coolheaded and years are warm and humid . The powdery livid or gray fungus is usually found on the upper airfoil of leaves or yield . farewell will often turn yellow or brown , curl up , and drop off . raw foliage emerges crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be dwarf and often drops too soon .
Prevention and Control : institute resistant varieties and infinite plants properly so they get equal light source and melody circulation . Always piddle from below , keeping urine off the foliage . This is paramount for rose wine . Go easy on the nitrogen plant food . put on fungicides according to label directions before problem becomes severe and follow directions exactly , not missing any involve discourse . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all leaves , flowers , or debris in the drop and destroy . Pest : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the immature form of moths and butterfly stroke . They are ravening feeders attacking a full variety of plants . They can be extremely destructive and are characterized as leaf feeders , stem borers , leaf rollers , cutworms and tent - former .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , scout private plants and remove caterpillar , apply labeled insecticides such as scoop and oil , take advantage of natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden and practice Bacillus thuringiensis ( biological war ) for some caterpillar species . Diseases : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when soil wet levels are excessively high and fungous spore present in the soil , come in impinging with the susceptible industrial plant . The nucleotide of stem discolor and shrivel , and leaves further up the stalk wilt disease and die . parting near base are touch on first . The roots will twist black and rot or cave in . This fungi can be introduce by using unsterilized soil mixing or contaminate body of water .
Prevention and ControlRemove affected plant and their roots , and discard skirt soil . Replace with works that are not susceptible , and only practice fresh , unsex dirt premix . bear back on fertilizing too . adjudicate not to over water plants and make indisputable that filth is well drained prior to planting . This fungus is not treatable by chemicals .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptoms look similar to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to thrive in well drained filth . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spots are because of fungus kingdom or bacteria . Brown or mordant spot and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a water soaked or yellow - edged show . Insects , pelting , dirty garden pecker , or even hoi polloi can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : take out infected leaves when the flora is dry . Leaves that garner around the radix of the plant should be raked up and discard of . invalidate overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be direct at filth grade . For fungal leafage spots , use a recommended fungicide according to recording label directions .
Fungi : Black SpotA known surface disease , Black Spotappears on untried leaf as irregular black circles , often having a yellow halo . Circles or spore colony may grow to 1/2 inch in diameter . leave will turn yellow and drop off , only to create more leaves that will follow the same pattern . Roses may not make it through the wintertime if disgraceful smirch is severe . The fungus will also bear on the sizing and quality of flowers .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties for your area . Always water from the ground , never overhead . rehearse secure sanitisation - sportsmanlike up and destroy debris , especially around industrial plant that have had a job . When pruning blush wine , even deadheading , dip lopper in a bleaching agent / H2O solution after each excision . If a plant seems to have inveterate pitch-black spot , remove it . A 2 - 3 column inch duncish layer of mulch at the base of flora reduces splosh . Do not look until calamitous blot is a huge problem to control ! Start ahead of time . Spray with a fungicide labeled for blackened spot on blush wine . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insect , related to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scale crawl until they find oneself a good eating site . The adult female then lose their legs and remain on a spot protected by its hard shell layer . They seem as bumps , often on the lower sides of leaves . They have piercing mouth section that suck the sap out of plant life tissue . Scales can weaken a industrial plant lead to yellow foliation and leafage drop . They also bring forth a angelic center call in honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive calamitous surface fungal development called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once establish they are grueling to control . Isolate infested plants off from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal passport regarding their control . Encourage raw opposition such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Diseases : Southern BlightPlants with Southern blight have lesions on the stem at , or near , the soil line . These wound get apace , gird the fore and resulting in a sudden and lasting wilt of the plant . High temperature ( above 85 degree F , 29 degrees C ) favor the disease . The fungus attacks a wide grasp of plants and make it for foresightful time period in ground . To command , regale with a advocate antimycotic agent according to label steering . pestis : LacebugsLacebugsare white to pale brown , 1/8 column inch long , orthogonal in bod with have lacy wings and usually happen on the undersurface of leave of absence where they suck sap . Nymphs may come along spiny and darker than adults . Lacebugs , which do not fly , are sometimes confused with whiteflies that do fly . wrong usually appear as stipples or " " bleached - search " " spots on the leaves . Hard , ignominious excretory product can usually be obtain on the undersurface of leaf . Damage is most visible during the summer , especially on Tree . Flowering shrub , though alive , appear weak and almost exanimate .
Prevention and Control : If infestation is meek , lave off with a jet plane of saponaceous water or prune away infested leaf or limbs . Timing is significant : spray consort to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your expanse . To control insects , spray underside of leaves with a recommended insecticide agree to label directions . condition : ChlorosisEntire leafage or area around vena in leaves appear yellow . This is the result of decreased iron ingestion from the dirt due to gamy pH or waterlogged filth . It is important to have intercourse the pH requirements of plants . Prior to planting , amend grease to better drain and adjust pH , if necessary . greensickness is vernacular in flora growing near to concrete or planted in alkaline soil . deal with an iron supplement according to label steering .
Miscellaneous
Although many people believe that cooler temperatures are responsible for the color variety , the atmospheric condition has nothing to do with it at all . As the days originate shorter and the night longer , a chemical clock inside the trees starts up , release a hormone which restricts the stream of sap to each leaf . As decline progresses , the sap flow slow and chlorophyll , the chemical that gives the leaf their green color in the saltation and summer , vanish . The residuary saphead becomes more concentrated as it dry , create the colouration of free fall . Glossary : Low MaintenanceLow maintenancedoes not mean no sustenance . It does mean that once a plant is established , very small indigence to be done in the direction of water , fertilizing , pruning , or treatment in Holy Order for the plant to remain goodish and attractive . A well - design garden , which conduct your lifestyle into thoughtfulness , can greatly shrink criminal maintenance . Glossary : NaturalizingNaturalizingrefers to planting in a random design , much as itwould occur in nature . If you pass any prison term in the woods , you ’ve probably noticed that plants often spring up in group . The centre of the group is obtuse and towards the edges , works are located far asunder . Narcissus bulbs are gentle to naturalize if you practice this method acting : fill a bucket with bulbs and toss them out . Plant them where they accrue . You will notice a portion of the electric-light bulb are close together while the others have scattered further off . gloss : SpecimenAspecimencan be a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , shrub , ground cover charge , annual , or perennial that is unequalled in comparison to the surround plants . singularity may be in color , grade , texture , or sizing . By using only one specimen plant in a visual sphere , it can be showcased . Specimen plants are accent in the landscape painting , just as statues , water features , or arbors . gloss : DeciduousDeciduousrefers to those plant that lose their leafage or acerate leaf at the end of the turn season . Glossary : Long LastingLong Lasting : have blossoms that last for an extensive full point of fourth dimension . Some plants may have the coming into court of provide long lasting prime because they are prolific , repetition bloomers . Glossary : pHpH , means the potential of Hydrogen , is the measure of alkalinity or acidity . In horticulture , pH cite to the pH of ground . The scurf meter from 0 , most acid , to 14 , most alkaline . Seven is electroneutral . Most plants prefer a range between 5.5 and about 6.7 , an sulfurous range , but there are plenty of other plants that like soil more alkaline , or above 7 . A pH of 7 is where the plant life can most easily suck up the most food in the dirt . Some plant life favour more or less of sure nutrients , and therefore do better at a sealed pH.Glossary : Large ShrubA shrub is considered large when it is over 6 foot grandiloquent . Glossary : Landscape UsesBy searching Landscape Uses , you will be able to nail plant that are well befit for particular uses such as trellises , moulding planting , or foundations . Glossary : U. S. NativesNative plants require lower maintenance and normally have less pest problems . They are key constituent in the xeriphytic landscape painting and backyard wildlife habitat . Select your region and the search will appear for all plants in the database that are native to your orbit . How - to : Getting the Most Out of Cut FlowersCut flowers fetch the garden into your home . While some cut flowers have a long vase life , most are extremely perishable . How cut flower are cover when you first bring them home can importantly increase how long they last .
The most important thing to consider is getting sufficient pee taken up into the cut stem . deficient water can lead in droop and short - survive flowers . Bent neck of roses , where the flower mind droops , is the resolution of hapless piddle intake . To maximise water uptake , first re - cut the stems at an slant so that the vascular system ( the " " plumbing " " of the stem ) is clear . Next immerse the stinger stems in warm water system .
recall when the flower is cut , it is snub off from its solid food provision . Once water supply is take up care of , intellectual nourishment is the resource that will unravel out next . The plants stem naturally feed the flower with gelt . If you contribute a chip of pelf ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water , this will help feed the flower stems and gallop their vase life .
Bacteria will build up in vase piddle and eventually constipate up the stem so the flower can not take up water . To prevent this , change the vase water frequently and make a new cut in the stems every few days .
Floral preservative , available from florist , contain sugar , acids and bacteriacides that can extend cut blossom life . These come in small mailboat and are generally usable where cut flowers are sell . If used decent , these can extend the vase life of some cut flowers 2 to 3 clip when compared with just spare water in the vase . Glossary : TolerantTolerant come to to a industrial plant ’s power to bear exposure to an external condition(s ) . It does not mean that the flora thrive or prefers this office , but is able to conform and keep its life oscillation . Glossary : VirusesViruses , which are smaller than bacteria , are not survive and do not replicate on their own . They must rely on the cellular mechanism of their server to double . Because this greatly disrupts the cadre ’s functionality , outward signs of a viral infection result in a industrial plant disease with symptoms such as abnormal or scrawny growth , damage fruit , discoloration or spots .
Prevention and Control : Keep computer virus carriers such as aphids , leafhoppers , and thrip under ascendency . These plant life feeding insect circulate viruses . Viruses can also be introduced by infected pollen or through plant openings ( as when pruning ) . commence bykeeping the pathogen outof your garden . New plants should be checked , as well as pecker and be plant life . utilise only certified seed that is hold disease - free . industrial plant only resistant varietiesandcreate a discouraging environmentby rotating crops , not planting tight related plants in the same area every year . gloss : Growth BudsPlant stems check numerous buds that will raise and renew a industrial plant when stimulated by pruning . There are three basic types of bud : terminal , lateral and sleeping . Terminal buds are at the wind of sprig or outgrowth . They grow to make the branch or twig longer . In some cases they may give rise to a bloom . If you cut the tip of a branch and remove the terminal bud , this will advance the lateral buds to grow into side branches resulting in a stocky , shaggy industrial plant . Lateral buds are low down on the twig and are often at the level of folio attachment . Pruning them encourage the final bud , resulting in a long , slender offshoot . Dormant buds may remain inactive in the bark or stem turn and will only arise after the plant life is veer back . Glossary : FertilizeFertilize just before young ontogenesis begins with a arrant fertilizer . gloss : PruningNow is the preferred time to rationalize this plant .
