azaleas say south

With so many colors and sizes to choose from, we give you the top picks for your corner of our region.

azaleas are as Southern as sweet tea and "yes, ma'am." Though they're non-native, we have adopted them as our own. Indigenous to Japan, China, and Korea, this evergreen has become the benchmark by which all other flowering shrubs are judged-and rightfully so.

How many other plants offer year-round foliage, produce an abundance of reliable flowers, and are widely available at such a good price? Always showy and sometimes sweetly scented, this ultimate icon of spring is easy to love.

Below the Mason-Dixon Line, you'll find it difficult to ignore the urge to plant this shrub. If you're a transplant, you may find yourself more deeply enamored of this beauty than your steeped-in-tradition neighbors, who are used to the dependable spring (and sometimes fall) displays.

For Best Results, Follow These Rules

Plant in generous, sweeping drifts that echo the shapes of planting beds. Make azaleas a part of your garden but not the entire garden. "When allowed to grow in their loose form without shearing, they soften bed lines and are perfect backdrops for smaller plantings," says Glen Gardner, a Charleston, South Carolina, landscape architect. It's common to find glorious groupings planted beneath oaks, pines, dogwoods, and even hollies from Delaware down to Florida and from Texas across to the Carolinas. The shrubs will thrive and flower best in filtered sun. For an elegant look, keep your color palette to three or fewer. Avoid alternating colors or spot-planting, as this will appear messy. Glen's ultimate combination is two-thirds white with one-third pink, placing like colors together.

So Many Options

There are hundreds of azaleas available. Start at your local nursery or public garden to learn what grows best in your area. Here are a few Southern favorites.

In the Lower and Coastal South, the most popular one is 'George Lindley Taber,' a Southern Indica Hybrid. Its light orchid pink flowers easily blend with a variety of colors. One of the taller-growing azaleas-growing up to 10 feetit tolerates the occasional cold snap, adding to its longevity.

By early April in the Middle South, you'll find the breaking buds of 'Coral Bells,' a Kurume Hybrid that's a heavy bloomer with a dense, twiggy, layered form. Foliage is small and glossy, making it great for tight spaces. Its one fault is that spent flowers tend to hang on and turn brown before dropping. Kurume's cold tolerance makes it popular in northern climes.

For short, showy azaleas, there are none better than the Satsuki Hybrids, such as the white 'Gumpo.' Neat, mounding foliage and late (May or June) flowers make this plant a popular shrub as far north as the Middle South.

By early May, the Upper South has begun to shake off its winter coat, opting for a new spring wardrobe. Glenn Dale, Gable, and Robin Hill Hybrids are popular here because they are cold tolerant. By using Korean azaleas (R. yedoense poukhanense) in breeding, lots of reliable selections have become the standard. For something a little different, try spider azalea (Rhododendron macrosepalum 'Linearifolium').

Keep the Flowers Coming

Plant early-, mid-, and late-season bloomers, and you will be fortunate enough to have flowers into May and often June. Repeat bloomers, such as the Encore Azaleas, are also good options, though flower coverage isn't as prolific. Still, these offer delicate blooms throughout the year, with the biggest displays in spring and fall.

For More Info

The ABCs of azaleas: southernliving.com/march2007

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Mar 2007
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