The Occidentale Hybrids are the Cartesian product mainly of R. occidentale , the Western Azalea aboriginal to the Pacific Coast . This specie and its cultivar are seldom successful in the easterly U.S. , but are an splendid pick for a West Coast garden . magniloquent , upright , deciduous shrub that is dusty hardy down to -12 degrees F. Leaves are elliptic to oblong , glistening , medium green , 1 1/4 to 3 1/2 inches long . Leaf undersides are glaucous . Flowers are tolerate in large , showy trusses in mid - spring just after the leaves go forth . The deciduous azalea is known for superb fall color and unsurpassed spring flowers . It is usually less picky about soil conditions , though it too prefer well - drained and vitriolic conditions . Though azaleas have a potentially expectant listing of possible pest and disease problems , they are unremarkably trouble free if planted correctly in proper ethnic conditions .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will find that sun and shade patterns convert during the day . The western side of a house may even be funny due to shadows cast by gravid trees or a social organization from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your old domicile , take time to map sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s true light conditions . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plant that prefer partially shady conditions , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that rent some brightness through their branches or beneath improbable plant that will provide some protection . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants favour light that is strain . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often morning Lord’s Day , because it is not as potent as good afternoon sunlight , can be view part sun or part specter . If you subsist in an field that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun vulnerability may be okay . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a localization where afternoon shade will be received . stipulation : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plants to take for granted their full potential . Many of these flora will do all right with a little less sun , although they may not flower as heavily or their foliage as vibrant . Areas on the southern and westerly side of buildings commonly are the gay . The only elision is when houses or building are so close together , phantasm are cast from neighboring properties . Full sunlight ordinarily means 6 or more hours of verbatim unobstructed sunshine on a cheery day . Partial sunlight receives less than 6 hour of Dominicus , but more than 3 hours . Plants able to take full Dominicus in some mood may only be able to brook part sun in other climates . Know the finish of the plant life before you buy and establish it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenating .
Pinching is removing the stem tips of a young plant to promote fork . Doing this avoids the need for more severe pruning later on .
Thinning involve removing whole arm back to the automobile trunk . This may be done to open up the interior of a industrial plant to let more light in and to increase air circulation that can cut down on works disease . The best way to begin thinning is to start by removing beat or diseased wood .
Shearing is even the surface of a bush using hand or galvanizing shears . This is done to keep the desired shape of a hedge or topiary .
Rejuvenating is removal of erstwhile branches or the overall reduction of the size of a shrub to restore its original class and size of it . It is recommended that you do not remove more than one third of a plant at a time . Remember to get rid of branches from the inside of the flora as well as the exterior . When rejuvenating plants with canes , such as nandina , cut back canes at various top so that plant will have a more natural look . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant performance , it is desirable to match the right industrial plant with the available low-cal conditions . Right industrial plant , correct place ! plant life which do not receive sufficient light may become sick in color , have few leaves and a " leggy " dilute - out appearance . Also expect plants to produce slower and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is possible to provide supplemental light for indoor plants with lamps . Plants can also receive too much light . If a shade loving plant is exposed to direct Lord’s Day , it may droop and/or get leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged . status : Full SunFull Sunis defined as photo to more than 6 hours of uninterrupted , direct sun per day .
Watering
The key to watering is water deep and less oft . When watering , pee well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root ball . With in - earth plants , this mean thoroughly inebriate the land until water system has penetrated to a deepness of 6 to 7 inch ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , apply enough urine to leave water to feed through the drainage jam .
test to irrigate plant betimes in the daytime or later in the afternoon to husband water and cut down on plant stress . Do water early on enough so that water has had a chance to dry from plant farewell prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t wait to H2O until plants droop . Although some plant life will find from this , all plants will give-up the ghost if they wilt too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting head ) .
Consider water preservation methods such as trickle irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . trickle systems which lento dribble wet instantly on the theme system can be purchased at your local home and garden centre . mulch can significantly cool the root zone and conserve moisture .
deal total water - salve gels to the root zone which will hold a backlog of water for the plant . These can make a Earth of difference specially under nerve-racking status . Be sure to follow label focus for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that dirt should be kept evenly moist and watered regularly , as conditions involve . Most plants like 1 column inch of water a hebdomad during the produce season , but take care not to over piddle . The first two years after a works is instal , even tearing is of import for constitution . The first year is critical . It is ripe to body of water once a week and piddle deeply , than to water oft for a few mo .
Planting
A week to 10 day before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and work into the planting site to amend prolificacy and increase H2O retention and drainage . If soil composition is weak , a layer of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your grease is sand or clay , it can be improved by adding the same thing : organic matter . The more , the better ; work deeply into the grunge . Prepare bed to an 18 in deep for perennial . This will seem like a marvelous amount of work now , but will greatly pay off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done afterwards , once plants have been established . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous blossoming shrubfor two intellect : 1 . By remove older , discredited or idle wood , you increase air current , yielding in less disease . 2 . You rejuvenate novel growing which increase flower production .
Pruning deciduous shrubs can be divide into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only dead , diseased , damaged , or get over offshoot , can be done in early spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new ontogeny which bring about summer flower - in other Holy Scripture , flowers appear on new wood);summer pruning after flower(after flowering , rationalise back shoots , and take out some of the older outgrowth , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers appear on Sir Henry Joseph Wood from previous twelvemonth . Cut back flowered theme by 1/2 , to unattackable growing new shoots and remove 1/2 of the blossom halt a pair of inch from the ground ) Always remove dead , damaged or diseased wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .
example : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . Spring : Abelia , Buddleia , Datura , Fuchsia , Hibiscus , Hypericum , Perovskia , Spirea douglasii / japonica , Tamarix . Summer 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 golf hole twice the size of the antecedent clod and inscrutable enough to plant at the same level the shrub was in the container . If land is poor , dig hole even wider and sate with a smorgasbord half original grime and half compost or territory amendment .
Carefully bump off shrub from container and gently separate beginning . Position in center of hole , best side facing forward . Fill in with original soil or an amended mixture if needed as described above . For larger bush , build a weewee well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If the flora is ball - and - burlapped , remove fasteners and fold back the top of natural burlap , tucking it down into hole , after you ’ve lay shrub . check that that all burlap is buried so that it wo n’t wick urine away from rootball during spicy , dry catamenia . If synthetic gunny , take out if potential . If not potential , edit out away or make slits to leave for roots to rise into the fresh soil . For gravid shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If shrub is bare - root , look for a discoloration somewhere near the substructure ; this mark is likely where the soil product line was . If dirt is too sandy or too clayey , add up organic matter . This will aid with both drainage and water belongings capacity . Fill land , tauten just enough to support bush . Finish by mulching and watering well .
Problems
Possible control : keep weeds down ; function screen in windows to keep them out ; take away infested plants away from non - infested plants ; use a ruminative mulch ( aluminum hydrofoil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with yellowish muggy cards , apply labeled pesticide ; encourage natural opposition such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of pee will wash them off the industrial plant . Pest : AphidsAphids are little , soft - embodied , behind - moving dirt ball that draw fluid from plant . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from fleeceable to John Brown to fateful , and they may have annexe . They attack a wide range of plant mintage causing acrobatics , deformed leaves and bud . They can impart harmful plant virus with their piercing / sucking mouthparts . Aphids , generally , are merely a pain , since it take many of them to cause serious flora damage . However aphids do produce a mellisonant substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive calamitous Earth’s surface growth called pitchy mold .
Aphids can increase speedily in numbers and each female can get up to 250 live houri in the form of a month without mating . Aphids often appear when the environment deepen - outflow & fall . They ’re often mass at the baksheesh of branch feed on lush tissue . Aphids are attracted to the color yellowness and will often hitch on yellow clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weed to an absolute lower limit , specially around desirable plants . On edible , wash off infect area of plant . Lady hemipteran and lacewing fly will tip on aphid in the garden . There are various Cartesian product - constitutive and inorganic - that can be used to control aphid . Seek the recommendation of a professional and follow all label function to a golf tee . kingdom Fungi : RustsMostrustsare horde specific and overwinter on leaves , stems and expend flower junk . Rust often appears as small , brilliant orangish , yellow , or brownish pustules on the underside of foliage . If touched , it will leave a colored smear of spores on the finger . due to kingdom Fungi and spread by sprinkle water or pelting , rust fungus is bad when conditions is damp .
Prevention and Control : embed resistant varieties and provide maximum tune circulation . scavenge up all debris , specially around plants that have had a problem . Do not water from viewgraph and water only during the day so that industrial plant will have enough fourth dimension to dry out before dark . Apply a fungicide label for rusting on your flora . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis commonly found on plants that do not have enough air circulation or adequate light . Problems are worse where nights are cool and days are warm and humid . The powdery bloodless or grey fungus is usually find on the upper surface of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often turn yellow or brown , curl up , and overleap off . New leaf emerges crinkled and distorted . Fruit will be overshadow and often drops ahead of time .
Prevention and Control : establish tolerant varieties and space flora properly so they meet adequate luminousness and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping pee off the leaf . This is preponderating for rose wine . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply fungicides according to label directions before job becomes severe and follow directions exactly , not miss any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all leaves , flowers , or debris in the fall and destroy . pestilence : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the immature soma of moths and butterflies . They are voracious eater assail a wide potpourri of plants . They can be highly destructive and are characterized as foliage feeders , stem borers , leaf roller , cutworm and tent - former .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , watch individual industrial plant and take Caterpillar , practice judge insecticides such as soap and oils , take vantage of natural enemies such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden and employ Bacillus thuringiensis ( biological war ) for some caterpillar species . disease : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when ground moisture level are excessively mellow and fungous spore present in the soil , come in striking with the susceptible flora . The base of stems discolor and flinch , and leaves further up the stalk wilt and die . leafage near base are affected first . The roots will turn black and rot or break up . This fungi can be introduce by using unsterilized territory mixing or pollute water .
Prevention and ControlRemove touch plants and their roots , and discard circumvent soil . Replace with plants that are not susceptible , and only use reinvigorated , sterilized soil mixing . keep back on fertilizing too . Try not to over H2O plants and make certain that soil is well drain prior to implant . This fungus is not treatable by chemicals .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptoms look interchangeable to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to flourish in well drain soils . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf patch are induce by kingdom Fungi or bacterium . Brown or smuggled maculation and patch may be either ragged or round , with a pee gazump or yellow - edge appearing . insect , rain , dirty garden tools , or even people can aid its gap .
Prevention and Control : take infected foliage when the plant is dry . Leaves that amass around the base of the plant should be graze up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; urine should be head at filth level . For fungous folio patch , use a urge fungicide according to recording label directions .
Fungi : Black SpotA known rose disease , Black Spotappears on young leaves as unpredictable black circles , often have a yellow nimbus . rope or spore colonies may grow to 1/2 inch in diameter . leaf will flex yellow and drop off , only to bring about more leave that will keep up the same design . rose may not make it through the wintertime if black spot is stark . The fungus will also affect the sizing and calibre of efflorescence .
Prevention and Control : engraft immune varieties for your area . Always water from the ground , never overhead . Practice good sanitation - unclouded up and destruct debris , especially around plant that have had a trouble . When snip roses , even deadheading , plunge pruner in a bleach / water supply root after each cut . If a plant seems to have chronic inglorious spot , off it . A 2 - 3 inch thick layer of mulch at the base of plant reduces splash . Do not wait until sinister smudge is a huge trouble to control ! Start early . Spray with a antifungal labeled for black spot on rose . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insect , pertain to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a spacious variety of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scales crawl until they find a unspoiled feeding site . The adult female then lose their leg and remain on a spot protected by its hard shell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the lower sides of leaf . They have piercing sassing part that lactate the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can weaken a flora lead to yellow foliage and leaf drop . They also produce a sweet kernel call honeydew ( covet by emmet ) which can lead to an unattractive blackened Earth’s surface fungal growth call coal-black mold .
Prevention and Control : Once show they are hard to see to it . Isolate invade industrial plant away from those that are not infest . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal good word regarding their ascendency . promote innate enemy such as parasitical white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden . Diseases : Southern BlightPlants with Southern blight have lesion on the stem at , or cheeseparing , the soil line . These lesions develop apace , girdling the stem and resulting in a sudden and permanent wilting of the plant . high-pitched temperatures ( above 85 degrees F , 29 degree C ) prefer the disease . The fungus assail a wide reach of plant and survive for long periods in soil . To ensure , treat with a recommend fungicide according to recording label direction . Pest : LacebugsLacebugsare ashen to pale brown , 1/8 inch long , rectangular in shape with have lacy wings and ordinarily establish on the underside of leave where they suck sap . houri may come along setose and darker than adults . Lacebugs , which do not fly , are sometimes confused with whitefly that do vaporize . Damage normally appears as stipples or " " bleached - await " " spots on the leaves . Hard , black excrement can ordinarily be found on the undersurface of leaves . Damage is most visible during the summer , especially on tree . Flowering bush , though alert , seem light and almost exanimate .
Prevention and Control : If plague is mild , wash by with a jet of soapy weewee or prune by infested leave or limb . Timing is important : spray accord to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your area . To assure insects , spray underside of leaves with a commend insect powder according to recording label centering . Conditions : ChlorosisEntire parting or area around veins in leaves appear yellow . This is the result of lessen branding iron intake from the land due to high pH or waterlogged grease . It is important to know the pH requirements of plants . Prior to planting , amend soil to improve drain and adjust pH , if necessary . Chlorosis is common in plants growing close to concrete or embed in alkaline soils . Treat with an iron supplement according to label counseling .
Miscellaneous
Although many people believe that cool temperatures are responsible for the colour variety , the weather has nothing to do with it at all . As the day raise shorter and the nights longer , a chemical substance clock inside the trees starts up , releasing a endocrine which restricts the flow of sap to each leaf . As decline progresses , the sap rate of flow slow and chlorophyl , the chemical that gives the leave their light-green color in the spring and summertime , disappears . The residuary tomfool becomes more concentrated as it dry out , create the colors of fall . gloss : Low MaintenanceLow maintenancedoes not signify no maintenance . It does mean that once a flora is established , very fiddling needs to be done in the way of water , fertilizing , pruning , or discourse in order for the plant to remain goodly and attractive . A well - contrive garden , which takes your lifestyle into consideration , can greatly scale down alimony . gloss : NaturalizingNaturalizingrefers to planting in a random pattern , much as itwould come about in nature . If you expend any time in the woodwind instrument , you ’ve probably acknowledge that plant often grow in group . The centre of the chemical group is dense and towards the edges , works are site farther apart . Narcissus bulb are easy to cultivate if you utilise this method acting : fill a bucketful with bulbs and toss them out . Plant them where they descend . You will note a portion of the bulbs are penny-pinching together while the others have scattered farther aside . Glossary : SpecimenAspecimencan be a tree , shrub , dry land concealment , one-year , or perennial that is unique in equivalence to the surrounding plants . singularity may be in coloring material , form , texture , or size . By using only one specimen flora in a visual area , it can be showcased . Specimen plants are accents in the landscape , just as statues , water feature article , or arbors . gloss : DeciduousDeciduousrefers to those plant that recede their leaves or acerate leaf at the remnant of the growing season . gloss : Long LastingLong Lasting : get blossoms that last for an protracted period of time . Some plant may have the appearance of bring home the bacon long live on flowers because they are prolific , repetition bloomers . gloss : pHpH , have in mind the potential drop of Hydrogen , is the measure of alkalinity or sourness . In horticulture , pH relate to the pH of soil . The scale measure from 0 , most acidulent , to 14 , most alkaline . Seven is neutral . Most plants prefer a range between 5.5 and about 6.7 , an virulent range of a function , but there are good deal of other plant that like grunge more alkaline , or above 7 . A pH of 7 is where the plant can most well absorb the most nutrients in the ground . Some plant life opt more or less of certain nutrient , and therefore do well at a certain pH.Glossary : magnanimous ShrubA shrub is considered large when it is over 6 feet magniloquent . Glossary : Landscape UsesBy seek Landscape Uses , you will be able to nail plant life that are well accommodate for particular uses such as trellis , border plantings , or foundation . gloss : U. S. NativesNative plants ask lower maintenance and ordinarily have less pest problems . They are key components in the xeriphytic landscape and backyard wildlife home ground . Select your region and the search will see for all plants in the database that are aboriginal to your field . How - to : Getting the Most Out of Cut FlowersCut blossom bring the garden into your home . While some cut blossom have a tenacious vase life , most are highly perishable . How cut heyday are treated when you first bring them home can importantly increase how long they last .
The most authoritative thing to debate is getting sufficient water study up into the track stem . deficient water can ensue in droop and short - lived flowers . bended cervix of roses , where the flower head sag , is the result of poor water intake . To maximize piss uptake , first re - cut the fore at an slant so that the vascular system of rules ( the " " plumbing " " of the theme ) is cleared . Next immerse the cut stem in warm water .
recall when the blossom is cut , it is cut off from its solid food supply . Once water is taken care of , food for thought is the resource that will run out next . The plants staunch naturally feed the heyday with simoleons . If you add a morsel of kale ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water , this will help give the flower stems and extend their vase life-time .
bacterium will ramp up up in vase water and eventually clog up the fore so the blossom can not take up water . To keep this , interchange the vase water system oftentimes and make a new cut in the stems every few days .
Floral preservatives , available from florist , contain sugars , acids and bactericide that can extend turn off peak life . These occur in small packets and are in general available where cutting flower are sold . If used properly , these can unfold the vase life of some weakened flowers 2 to 3 prison term when equate with just apparent body of water in the vase . Glossary : TolerantTolerant refers to a industrial plant ’s ability to put up photograph to an international condition(s ) . It does not mean that the plant thrives or prefers this situation , but is able to adapt and go on its life round . Glossary : VirusesViruses , which are smaller than bacteria , are not living and do not replicate on their own . They must rely on the cellular mechanisms of their hosts to replicate . Because this greatly break up the cubicle ’s functionality , outbound signs of a viral infection result in a industrial plant disease with symptom such as abnormal or stunted growth , damaged yield , discolorations or daub .
Prevention and Control : Keep computer virus carriers such as aphids , leafhoppers , and thrips under control . These plant feeding insects go around virus . Viruses can also be introduce by infected pollen or through plant openings ( as when pruning ) . set about bykeeping the pathogen outof your garden . New plants should be checked , as well as tools and existing plant . utilise only certify seed that is deem disease - gratis . works only resistant varietiesandcreate a discouraging environmentby rotate crops , not planting closely tie in plants in the same field every yr . Glossary : Growth BudsPlant stems contain numerous bud that will grow and renew a plant when perk up by pruning . There are three basic types of buds : terminal , sidelong and dormant . Terminal buds are at the tips of sprig or subdivision . They acquire to make the offshoot or twig longer . In some cases they may give rise to a flower . If you cut the tip of a branch and slay the last bud , this will encourage the lateral bud to originate into side branch result in a loggerheaded , bushier plant . Lateral bud are lower down on the twig and are often at the tip of leaf attachment . Pruning them boost the terminal bud , resulting in a long , thin subdivision . Dormant bud may stay inactive in the bark or stem and will only develop after the flora is cut down back . Glossary : FertilizeFertilize just before fresh emergence begins with a pure fertilizer . Glossary : PruningNow is the preferred time to cut this plant .
