Consider planting native azaleas

Well, that was it for my winter holiday break. Feels great to be back--I hope you enjoyed the new year. I've been working with a few people over these recent weeks to select plants for spring planting. One of the shrubs on the request list are our beautiful, mid-Atlantic native azaleas. So I thought I'd delve into them a little further here.

Are the native azaleas very much like the vibrantly colored Asian azaleas? Well, not exactly. Their colors are generally more subtle. Their form is different—they are lighter and more airy than their Asian cousins. They don’t like to be pruned down to a dense meatball shape, as is often the fate of Asian azeleas. Most of them need more space and will eventually overgrow the windowsills of most houses, so they don’t generally make good foundation plants (with the exception of Rhododendron atlanticum/Dwarf or Coastal Azalea). (See this earlier article)

But! What beautiful plants they are in a taller woodland bed, where they have room to eventually stretch out and play with the dappled shade! Their more delicately-hued blossoms do still come in a variety of shades, ranging from white through pink and deep rose all the way to the intense orange of flame azalea.

Although potentially toxic to mammals (please don't eat Azaleas) and the toxic andromedotoxin chemical is not good for European honeybees or their honey, Azaleas and other plants in the Rhododendron family are indeed very beneficial to bumblebees. According to the Xerces society, Azaleas are a host plant for the comma family of butterflies. These fascinating butterflies have irregularly shaped wing edges, and their coloring changes to brown in late season to help them hide in leaf litter over the winter (another reason not to over-tidy those leaves in fall!). Also according to Xerces, the tiny Andrena cornelli is a specialist bee of the Rhododendron family. Which means that without Rhododendrons, this bee would disappear.

When is a good time to plant? You can plant native azaleas in early spring or in fall. Avoid late spring or the heat of summer, as it is too much stress for the plant to endure temperatures in the 80’s before roots have had a chance to get settled.

What conditions do native Azaleas need? Most native azaleas need part to full shade, generally speaking. And they prefer sandy, acidic soil but can handle clay if it drains well, for example on a slope. For more details about the preferences and characteristics of specific native Azaleas and other native Rhododendrons, as well as some beautiful photos, I recommend you visit Edge of the Woods Nursery's website. (The nursery is located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania—about 2.5 hours drive from Annapolis.)

Where can you find them for sale? Native specialty retailers are your best bet. In the Annapolis area you might look for them at Herring Run Nursery in Baltimore, Lauren’s Native Plant Nursery in Ellicott City, Adkins Arboretum in Ridgely, MD, or at Unity Nursery in Church Hill, MD.

Do they require any special care?
Not much. They don’t require any pruning. Keep an eye out for waxy-covered scale insects on the branches (just remove them by hand). And if you must fertilize (I usually don’t), you should use something for acid-loving plants, applied after they bloom. I prefer to just top-dress with composted leaves in spring or fall.

What are some favorites?
At my current home in Annapolis with its sandy, acidic soil, I've been able to enjoy several native azaleas. The two favorites I recommend to clients most often are Azalea periclymenoides/Pinxterbloom azalea and Rhododendron atlanticum/Coastal azalea, partly because they are a little easier to find in the trade. But if you don’t mind looking a little further afield, here are some other excellent options.

For wet areas:

Rododendron viscosum (Swamp Azalea): Has fragrant white blooms from mid-June to July, and is mid-size, growing to about 5'.

Rhododendron prunifolium (Plumleaf Azalea) blooms a strong red color in late July, and can grow to a stunning 20 feet or more in its preferred cooler, damp habitat near creeks and ravines.

For dry areas:

Rhododendron canescens, or Mountain Azalea produces fragrant, pink flowers in early spring. It is mid-size at 6-8 feet (occasionally to 15 feet). It prefers part shade and likes acidic, well-drained soil. ”

Rhododendron flammeum, Piedmont Azalea blooms with yellow-orange to scarlet flowers in spring. One of the most heat tolerant of the native azaleas. 6 -8 feet tall and wide. Prefers part shade and acidic, well-drained soils.

I hope this helps as you get going with your spring planting plans. If you’d like a consult visit, this is an excellent time to get on the schedule before things get busy. Prices have gone up a tiny bit--a visit now costs $350 (but if you live within a 30 minute drive of my home, there is a neighborhood discount). Read more or send me a note at my website to get on the schedule early.

Happy Planning!