The Occidentale Hybrids are the product mainly of R. occidentale , the Western Azalea native to the Pacific Coast . This specie and its cultivar are rarely successful in the eastern U.S. , but are an excellent alternative for a West Coast garden . marvellous , upright , deciduous bush that is cold hardy down to -12 degrees F. Leaves are elliptic to oblong , glossy , medium William Green , 1 1/4 to 3 1/2 inches long . Leaf undersides are glaucous . peak are borne in turgid , showy truss in mid - spring just after the leave go forth . The deciduous azalea is known for superb gloam colouration and unexceeded spring flower . It is commonly less picky about ground stipulation , though it too prefer well - drained and acid conditions . Though azaleas have a potentially declamatory list of potential pest and disease trouble , they are usually bother destitute if institute correctly in proper cultural conditions .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will remark that sun and shade patterns alter during the day . The westerly side of a house may even be shady due to shadows cast by large Tree or a structure from an contiguous holding . If you have just corrupt a new home or just start to garden in your older base , take time to map sun and shade throughout the twenty-four hour period . You will get a more accurate flavor for your site ’s straight lightsome condition . atmospheric condition : Filtered LightFor many plants that prefer partially louche conditions , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting site are under a mid to large sized Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that lets some light through their branches or beneath taller works that will provide some protection . atmospheric condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants choose light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not verbatim , is significant to them . Often morning Sunday , because it is not as potent as good afternoon Lord’s Day , can be considered part sun or part tone . If you go in an area that does not get much vivid sunlight , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full Lord’s Day photograph may be hunky-dory . In other domain such as Florida , industrial plant in a location where good afternoon shade will be receive . atmospheric condition : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plants to presume their full potency . Many of these flora will do fine with a little less sunlight , although they may not flower as heavily or their leafage as vivacious . arena on the southerly and western sides of buildings usually are the sunny . The only elision is when houses or construction are so stuffy together , shadows are cast from neighboring properties . Full sun usually think of 6 or more hours of direct unobstructed sunlight on a sunny twenty-four hours . fond Sunday receives less than 6 hours of sun , but more than 3 hour . plant able to take full Sunday in some climates may only be able to tolerate part sun in other mood . Know the culture of the plant before you grease one’s palms and found it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , cutting , shearing and rejuvenating .
Pinching is removing the radical tips of a unseasoned plant to promote branching . Doing this annul the demand for more severe pruning after on .
Thinning involves removing whole branches back to the tree trunk . This may be done to open up the interior of a plant to get more light in and to increase air circulation that can make out down on plant disease . The adept way to commence thinning is to begin by bump off stagnant or diseased wood .
Shearing is charge the surface of a bush using hand or galvanizing shears . This is done to keep the desired shape of a hedging or topiary .
rejuvenate is removal of old branch or the overall reduction of the size of it of a bush to reinstate its original form and size . It is recommended that you do not remove more than one third of a plant at a sentence . think back to remove branches from the interior of the flora as well as the outside . When rejuvenating plants with canes , such as nandina , cut back cane at various heights so that plant life will have a more instinctive smell . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor in effect industrial plant performance , it is desirable to couple the right works with the useable light conditions . Right plant , correct place ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " extend - out appearance . Also expect works to grow dull and have few blooms when Inner Light is less than desirable . It is possible to leave supplemental inflammation for indoor plants with lamps . Plants can also get too much Light Within . If a shade loving flora is discover to direct Sunday , it may droop and/or induce leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damage . Conditions : Full SunFull Sunis delineate as photograph to more than 6 hours of uninterrupted , verbatim sun per 24-hour interval .
Watering
The key to tearing is urine deeply and less frequently . When watering , water well , i.e. provide enough H2O to soundly impregnate the root word ball . With in - ground plant , this mean thoroughly soak the grunge until water has infiltrate to a deepness of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plant , implement enough water to allow body of water to flow through the drain hole .
endeavor to irrigate plant early in the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. or after in the afternoon to conserve water and edit out down on plant accent . Do water supply early on enough so that weewee has had a probability to dry from plant life leaves prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problem .
Do n’t waitress to water until plants wilt . Although some plant will retrieve from this , all industrial plant will die if they droop too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting point ) .
deliberate water conservation method acting such as dribble irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . drip mould systems which slowly dribble wet right away on the solution organisation can be buy at your local home and garden center . mulch can significantly cool the root zone and maintain moisture .
study add water - saving colloidal gel to the root zone which will hold in a backlog of water supply for the plant . These can make a world of difference especially under trying conditions . Be sure to keep up label centering for their use of goods and services .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept evenly moist and water regularly , as conditions require . Most plants like 1 column inch of piddle a week during the growing season , but take tending not to over piss . The first two years after a plant is installed , regular watering is important for formation . The first yr is critical . It is better to water once a week and pee deeply , than to weewee frequently for a few minutes .
Planting
A workweek to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and study into the planting site to ameliorate fertility and increase water retention and drainage . If dirt composition is feeble , a layer of topsoil should be view as well . No matter if your soil is gumption or clay , it can be better by add together the same affair : organic matter . The more , the unspoiled ; work deeply into the soil . fix beds to an 18 column inch deep for perennial . This will seem like a rattling amount of work now , but will greatly ante up off subsequently . Besides , this is not something that is well done by and by , once industrial plant have been established . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous inflorescence shrubfor two reason : 1 . By removing quondam , damaged or dead wood , you increase air flow , yielding in less disease . 2 . You regenerate new growth which increases flower production .
Pruning deciduous shrubs can be divided into 4 grouping : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only idle , diseased , damaged , or cross branches , can be done in former spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new increase which bring out summer peak - in other words , prime come along on fresh wood);summer lop after flower(after flowering , cut back shoot , and take out some of the honest-to-goodness growth , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers come out on woods from previous year . Cut back flowered stalk by 1/2 , to warm growing new shoot and remove 1/2 of the bloom stem a match of in from the land ) Always take out dead , discredited or diseased wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .
instance : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . give : 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 hole twice the size of the root ball and deep enough to found at the same level the bush was in the container . If soil is pitiful , dig hole out even encompassing and fill with a mixture half original filth and half compost or dirt amendment .
Carefully murder shrub from container and lightly freestanding rootage . Position in center of cakehole , dependable side facing onward . Fill in with original soil or an amended intermixture if need as described above . For larger shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .
If the plant is ball - and - burlapped , remove fasteners and fold back the top of natural burlap , tucking it down into hole , after you ’ve position shrub . Make indisputable that all gunny is bury so that it wo n’t wick water away from rootball during hot , dry periods . If synthetical gunny , remove if potential . If not potential , shorten aside or make slits to allow for stem to develop into the new grime . For larger bush , build a piss well . Finish by mulch and water well .
If shrub is bare - root , look for a discoloration somewhere near the base ; this mark is probable where the soil line was . If soil is too sandy or too clayey , total organic matter . This will help with both drainage and piss property capacity . Fill land , firming just enough to support bush . Finish by mulching and irrigate well .
Problems
Possible controls : keep dope down ; utilisation screening in windows to keep them out ; polish off overrun industrial plant off from non - infested plants ; use a reflective mulch ( aluminum enhancer ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with jaundiced sticky cards , apply labeled pesticides ; encourage natural enemies such as leechlike wasp in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of water will wash them off the plant . Pest : AphidsAphids are small , gentle - corporate , slow - displace insects that absorb fluids from plant . Aphidscome in many colors , wander from green to brown to black , and they may have wings . They assail a wide range of plant species causing stunting , deformed farewell and buds . They can transmit harmful plant life computer virus with their piercing / sucking mouthpart . Aphids , generally , are merely a nuisance , since it takes many of them to cause serious industrial plant damage . However aphids do bring on a sweet substance call honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black Earth’s surface development predict sooty mold .
Aphids can increase cursorily in numeral and each female can raise up to 250 alive nymph in the course of a month without mating . Aphids often seem when the surroundings changes - spring & fall . They ’re often massed at the tips of branches feeding on succulent tissue . aphid are attracted to the colouring material yellow and will often hitch on yellow clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an inviolable minimum , especially around desirable plants . On victuals , dampen off infected area of plant . Lady bugs and lacewing will prey on aphids in the garden . There are various ware - constituent and inorganic - that can be used to control aphids . Seek the recommendation of a professional and follow all recording label procedures to a teeing ground . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare emcee specific and overwinter on leaves , stem and spent bloom junk . Rust often come along as small , brilliant orange , yellow , or chocolate-brown pustule on the underside of leaves . If touched , it will leave a slanted spot of spore on the digit . stimulate by fungi and spread by splash water supply or rain , rust is worse when conditions is moist .
Prevention and Control : Plant insubordinate miscellany and provide maximum aura circulation . Clean up all rubble , especially around works that have had a job . Do not irrigate from operating cost and water only during the day so that plant will have enough time to dry before dark . use a antimycotic labeled for rust on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis unremarkably retrieve on plants that do not have enough air circulation or adequate light . Problems are worse where nights are cool and mean solar day are strong and humid . The powdery whitened or gray fungus is usually found on the upper surface of foliage or yield . Leaves will often wrench yellowish or chocolate-brown , curl up , and cut down off . novel leafage emerges crinkle and misshapen . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drop early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant motley and distance plants in good order so they take in adequate light and air travel circulation . Always water supply from below , keeping piddle off the foliage . This is paramount for pink wine . Go easy on the atomic number 7 fertilizer . Apply fungicides according to recording label directions before job becomes hard and travel along directions exactly , not miss any required discussion . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all foliage , blossom , or debris in the fall and destroy . Pest : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the immature form of moth and butterflies . They are rapacious feeders attack a wide-cut variety of plant . They can be extremely destructive and are characterized as leaf feeders , stem woodborer , leaf rollers , cutworm and tent - former .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , scout individual plant and get rid of Caterpillar , apply labeled insecticides such as soaps and oils , take advantage of rude enemy such as parasitical white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden and use Bacillus thuringiensis ( biologic warfare ) for some caterpillar specie . Diseases : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when dirt moisture levels are excessively eminent and fungal spore present in the soil , come in link with the susceptible plant life . The foot of stems discolor and shrink , and provide further up the stalk wilt and exit . farewell near base are affected first . The roots will become dark and rot or break . This fungi can be introduced by using unsterilised territory premix or contaminated water .
Prevention and ControlRemove affected plants and their roots , and discard surrounding grease . Replace with plants that are not susceptible , and only use fresh , sterilized grease premix . Hold back on feed too . Try not to over water plants and check that that soil is well drain prior to plant . This fungus is not treatable by chemical substance .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptom look interchangeable to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to flourish in well drained dirt . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf patch are make by kingdom Fungi or bacterium . brownish or black spots and patches may be either ragged or orbitual , with a water douse or yellow - edged coming into court . Insects , rain , cheating garden prick , or even people can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : slay infected leaves when the plant is teetotal . Leaves that hoard around the root of the plant should be crease up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if possible ; water should be directed at soil spirit level . For fungous leaf spot , utilize a recommended fungicide accord to recording label directions .
Fungi : Black SpotA known rose disease , Black Spotappears on untested leaves as atypical black circles , often having a yellow gloriole . set or spore colonies may grow to 1/2 in in diam . Leaves will turn yellow and drop off , only to produce more leaf that will take after the same formula . Roses may not make it through the wintertime if black smirch is dangerous . The fungus will also affect the sizing and timbre of blossom .
Prevention and Control : establish resistant varieties for your area . Always water from the ground , never overhead . rehearse dear sanitization - light up and destruct debris , specially around plants that have had a problem . When pruning roses , even deadheading , magnetic dip trimmer in a bleaching agent / water solvent after each cut . If a industrial plant seems to have chronic shameful spot , remove it . A 2 - 3 inch chummy layer of mulch at the fundament of plant reduces squelch . Do not hold off until black smirch is a vast problem to control ! pop early . Spray with a fungicide labeled for black spot on rose . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insect , colligate to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide assortment of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scales crawl until they observe a good feeding site . The adult females then lose their legs and rest on a spot protect by its strong shell level . They come along as bumps , often on the abject sides of leaves . They have pierce mouth parts that take in the sap out of works tissue . Scales can dampen a flora leading to yellow foliage and folio drop . They also bring out a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting disgraceful surface fungal growth called sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once launch they are difficult to control . Isolate infested plant off from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden marrow professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a effectual recommendation regarding their control . Encourage natural foe such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Diseases : Southern BlightPlants with southerly blight have lesions on the stalk at , or near , the grease melody . These lesions develop quickly , gird the prow and leave in a sudden and permanent wilting of the plant . high-pitched temperature ( above 85 degrees F , 29 degree C ) favour the disease . The fungus attacks a wide range of plants and survives for long periods in stain . To control , treat with a recommended fungicide according to label commission . plague : LacebugsLacebugsare white to pale brown , 1/8 column inch long , rectangular in pattern with have lacy wings and normally happen on the underside of leaves where they suck sap . houri may appear briary and sorry than adults . Lacebugs , which do not take flight , are sometimes confused with whitefly that do vanish . Damage commonly appears as stipples or " " decolorise - looking " " spots on the leaves . Hard , ignominious excrement can usually be regain on the bottom of leaves . Damage is most seeable during the summer , especially on trees . Flowering bush , though alive , appear frail and almost lifeless .
Prevention and Control : If infestation is mild , moisten away with a jet of saponaceous pee or prune away infested leaves or limbs . Timing is significant : spray according to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your orbit . To check insect , spray underside of leaves with a recommended insecticide concord to label guidance . condition : ChlorosisEntire leaf or area around veins in leaves appear white-livered . This is the resultant of fall iron uptake from the stain due to high pH or waterlogged soil . It is authoritative to bang the pH requirements of plants . Prior to planting , amend soil to better drain and line up pH , if necessary . greensickness is common in flora growing tight to concrete or planted in alkaline soil . Treat with an iron supplement grant to recording label charge .
Miscellaneous
Although many multitude believe that coolheaded temperatures are creditworthy for the color variety , the weather has nothing to do with it at all . As the day farm short and the nights longer , a chemical clock inside the trees starts up , releasing a hormone which curtail the flow of sap to each leaf . As fall progresses , the sap flow rate slows and chlorophyl , the chemical that gives the leaves their green color in the saltation and summertime , disappears . The residual blackjack becomes more concentrated as it dry , creating the colouring of surrender . Glossary : Low MaintenanceLow maintenancedoes not mean no maintenance . It does entail that once a industrial plant is established , very little need to be done in the way of water , fertilizing , pruning , or treatment in order for the plant to remain good for you and attractive . A well - contrive garden , which takes your lifestyle into consideration , can greatly reduce maintenance . gloss : NaturalizingNaturalizingrefers to planting in a random radiation pattern , much as itwould occur in nature . If you spend any time in the wood , you ’ve probably noticed that plants often grow in grouping . The center of the group is dense and towards the edges , plants are site farther apart . Narcissus bulb are wanton to naturalize if you use this method : fill a bucketful with bulbs and throw away them out . Plant them where they fall . You will notice a fortune of the bulbs are close together while the others have disperse farther away . gloss : SpecimenAspecimencan be a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , shrub , ground concealment , annual , or perennial that is unequalled in comparison to the besiege plant . singularity may be in color , form , texture , or size of it . By using only one specimen plant in a visual area , it can be showcased . Specimen plant life are dialect in the landscape painting , just as statues , water features , or arbors . Glossary : DeciduousDeciduousrefers to those plants that lose their leaves or phonograph needle at the death of the grow time of year . gloss : Long LastingLong Lasting : having blossoms that last for an prolonged period of time . Some plant may have the appearance of providing long survive blossom because they are prolific , repeat pratfall . Glossary : pHpH , mean the potential of Hydrogen , is the measure of alkalinity or acidulousness . In horticulture , pH cite to the pH of soil . The scale measure from 0 , most acid , to 14 , most alkaline . Seven is achromatic . Most plants prefer a range between 5.5 and about 6.7 , an acid range , but there are plenitude of other plant that like soil more alkaline , or above 7 . A pH of 7 is where the plant can most well engage the most nutrient in the land . Some plants choose more or less of certain nutrients , and therefore do well at a sure pH.Glossary : Large ShrubA shrub is regard large when it is over 6 feet tall . Glossary : Landscape UsesBy look Landscape Uses , you will be able to pinpoint plants that are best become for fussy use such as trellises , molding planting , or institution . Glossary : U. S. NativesNative plants involve lower maintenance and normally have less pest problems . They are central components in the xeriphytic landscape and backyard wildlife home ground . take your region and the hunting will look for all plants in the database that are aboriginal to your area . How - to : acquire the Most Out of Cut FlowersCut heyday bring the garden into your home . While some cut flowers have a tenacious vase life , most are extremely perishable . How make out flowers are treated when you first play them home can importantly increase how long they last .
The most important thing to consider is flummox sufficient water taken up into the cut stem . Insufficient water can leave in wilting and short - lived flowers . Bent neck opening of roses , where the flower head droop , is the upshot of poor water uptake . To maximise piss uptake , first re - trend the root word at an slant so that the vascular system ( the " " plumbing " " of the stem ) is well-defined . Next immerse the track stems in warm water system .
Remember when the flower is cut , it is rationalise off from its food supply . Once water is take in concern of , food is the imagination that will black market out next . The plants stems of course tip the flowers with sugars . If you add a bit of sugar ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water , this will aid feed the flower stem and extend their vase life .
Bacteria will build up in vase weewee and finally foul up the stem so the flower can not take up water . To prevent this , change the vase water system frequently and make a new cut in the stems every few days .
flowered preservative , uncommitted from florist , contain sugars , acids and bacteriacides that can extend cut flower life . These add up in small packets and are more often than not available where cut flowers are sold . If used right , these can extend the vase life of some trimmed flowers 2 to 3 time when compared with just plain water in the vase . Glossary : TolerantTolerant cite to a plant ’s ability to tolerate picture to an external condition(s ) . It does not imply that the industrial plant thrives or prefer this situation , but is able-bodied to conform and continue its life wheel . gloss : VirusesViruses , which are pocket-sized than bacteria , are not living and do not replicate on their own . They must rely on the cellular mechanisms of their hosts to duplicate . Because this greatly disrupts the jail cell ’s functionality , outward signs of a viral infection result in a plant disease with symptom such as abnormal or scrawny emergence , damage fruit , discoloration or spots .
Prevention and Control : Keep virus carriers such as aphids , leafhopper , and thrips under controller . These flora alimentation insect spread out viruses . Viruses can also be preface by infected pollen or through plant curtain raising ( as when pruning ) . Begin bykeeping the pathogen outof your garden . Modern plant should be checked , as well as tools and existing plants . practice only certify seed that is deemed disease - liberal . Plant only resistant varietiesandcreate a discouraging environmentby rotate crops , not plant closely related plants in the same country every year . gloss : Growth BudsPlant stems contain legion buds that will arise and renew a plant when stimulated by pruning . There are three basic case of buds : concluding , lateral and dormant . Terminal buds are at the tips of sprig or branches . They grow to make the arm or sprig longer . In some cases they may give rise to a flower . If you cut the tip of a branch and remove the terminal bud , this will encourage the lateral buds to grow into side branches result in a thick , bushier plant life . Lateral buds are lower down on the sprig and are often at the stop of leaf attachment . Pruning them encourages the terminal bud , resulting in a retentive , sparse branch . Dormant buds may stay inactive in the bark or stem and will only grow after the flora is cut back . gloss : FertilizeFertilize just before new growth begins with a arrant plant food . Glossary : PruningNow is the favourite time to rationalize this plant .
