Azalea
Rhododendron
Azaleas, the national flower of Nepal, are part of an ancient group of plants dating back million of years. They are related to rhododendrons and blueberries and are descendents of Asian shrubs. Azaleas can also be used as a centerpiece for weddings or to replace expensive cut flower arrangements in your home or office. These plants have terminal blooms which means the entire plant flowers at one time, making a beautiful display. Since florist azalea plants are different than outdoor azalea plants, indoor azaleas rarely do well planted in your garden.
These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
Azalea Plant
Light
Azalea plants require bright indirect lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. while blooming, but no direct sun. If there is not enough light, the flower buds on an azalea plant won't open.
Water
Allow the top 2"-3" of soil to dry out before watering. Azaleas are acid loving plants; if your water is alkaline add one tablespoon of vinegar to each gallon of water. You can also water azaleas with leftover tea. Large numbers of leaves drop off if the soil is too wet or too dry.
Fertilizer
Fertilize monthly with an acidic fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.
diluted to 1/3 the recommended strength. Never fertilize your azalea plant when it is in bloom.
Temperature
Azalea plants thrive and their flowers last longer when the temperature is 50°-60°F (10°-15.6°C) at night and 60°-70°F (15.6°-21.1°C)F during the day. Temperatures over 80°F (26.7°C) cause leaf drop and flowers to quickly fade.
Humidity
Azalea plants do well in normal to high humidity.
Flowering
When purchasing an azalea for yourself or as a gift, buy one that has buds barely showing a little color as well as open flowers. Once brought home, place your new azalea in a bright, cool location, away from heaters, air conditioners, and direct sun. This should keep the plant in bloom for quite a while.
Pests
Azalea plants are susceptible to spider mitesLearn how to identify and treat Spider Mites on plants. This sucking plant pest causes yellow blotchy leaves with a red haze and a gritty feel to them., scaleSoft Brown Scale is the most common scale that attacks indoor houseplants especially ficus, ivy, spider plants, ferns, aralia, and schefflera. It appears as small bumpy brown spots that appear to move. As the scale sucks on the sap of the plant it secretes a sticky substance called honeydew. The honeydew attracts black mildew. Because of the shell-like exterior, sprays are only partially effective against scale. Wipe off the lines of brown oval bumps with your finger, a cloth, or a child’s toothbrush then spray the plant with Neem Oil. Use the Green Solution to clean off the black mildew., and nematodes.
Diseases
Azalea gall occurs in early spring. New leaves curl, become pale, turn brown and die. Petal blight, powdery mildewPowdery mildew is a plant disease that puts a grayish white powder on plant leaves and stems. View a picture of this plant disease and learn how to treat it., and rust are all types of fungus that can infect azaleas. Remove diseased leaves as soon as they appear and spray with a FungicideLearn what fungicides are and how they are used to treat fungal and bacterial plant infections..
Soil
Use a rich acidic planting mixture that drains well.
Pot Size
Azaleas can be found in 4", 6", and 8" pots.
Pruning
Remove dead flowers as soon as they appear and prune bare branches.
Propagation
Azalea plants are propagated by Stem CuttingsLearn how to propagate plants using stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, cane cuttings, and branch cuttings., grafts, and tissue culture, but it is a difficult process. I recommend leaving it to the professionals.
Resting Period
After your azalea has finished blooming and you've pruned it, move the plant to a cool room with less light. Keep the soil a little drier than usual and fertilize monthly. After several months, when buds start to appear, move your azalea back into bright indirect lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light..
Special Occasion
Azaleas are lovely flowering plants that make a perfect gift for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, birthdays, and as a get well present.
Poisonous Plant Info
All parts of an Azalea contain a substance called grayanotoxin which makes the plant very poisonousPlants are a great addition to homes and offices, but it’s important to know whether your plants are dangerous to children, pets, or even adults. Some plants contain chemicals such as oxalates, solanine, glycosides, or alkaloid lycorine that may cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, swelling and redness of the mouth, throat, and lips, and trouble breathing. Touching parts of certain plants, especially the sap, may cause various skin irritations. The weight and age of the human or pet involved, and the part and amount of plant eaten determine how severe the reaction to the toxins will be. Although plants may be listed as non-toxic, they can still cause individual allergic reactions. If there is any question after a houseplant has been ingested or touched immediately call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants [Paperback]is an excellent reference to keep around if you have young children and pets. with a #4 toxicity levelThese are general guidelines that describe how poisonous certain houseplants are. It's possible for an allergic reaction to occur from contact with any houseplant, toxic or non-toxic. If there is ever a concern, call: Poison Control Center: ******1-800-222-1222******
Level #1: Houseplants with low toxicity, may be mildly irritating, especially the sap of the plant.
Level#2: Houseplants with medium to severe toxicity. Eating parts of these houseplants may result in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties.
Level #3: These houseplants are very poisonous. When eaten, especially in large quantities, severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties can occur.
Level #4: These houseplants are extremely poisonous. Eating parts of these houseplants can be be life threatening.
Every plant listed in our Popular HousePlant guide has a section explaining whether or not it is poisonous and, if so, how poisonous. Amaryllis, alocasia, dieffenbachias, crotons, ivies, azaleas, lilies, and philodendrons are just a few of the highly poisonous plants we use in our homes and offices all of the time. If you don't know whether your houseplant is poisonous, go to Ask Judy on the HousePlant411.com website, send her a picture of your plant, and she'll let you know if the houseplant should be kept away from small children and pets.
See colorful pictures and get more information about poisonous houseplants in
Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
. Keep azalea plants away from children and pets.
Why are leaves falling off my azalea plant?
Leaves fall off an azalea plant for several reasons: The temperature is too hot or the humidity too low. The soil is too wet or the soil is too dry. The azalea plant is in a draft, near a cold door, or in front of a drafty window.
How do I get my azalea plant to bloom again indoors?
You can get an azalea to bloom again indoors but it’s not easy. Azalea plants require about 6 weeks of very cool 40°-50°F(4.4°-10°C) nighttime temperatures for their buds to set. High humidity is also necessary. Once the buds develop, move your plant to a warmer, brighter location. Indoor azalea plants may re-bloom once a year if you’re lucky.
Why do flowers on my azalea plants die a few days after I buy them? How can I get the blooms to last longer?
Here are a few tips that might help the flowers on your azalea plants last a little longer. When you buy an azalea, select a plant that has only a few open flowers and mostly buds. The buds should be showing a little color. At home, place your new azalea in a bright, cool location, away from heaters, air conditioners, and direct sun. This should keep the plant in bloom for at least a few weeks.
Why isn't my azalea plant absorbing water? The plant always seems light and the leaves never perk up.
Your azalea plant has probably gotten too dry and the soil has contracted so much that the water runs right through without being absorbed. Place the entire plant, pot and all, in a bucket or sink full of water and hold it there until the air bubbles stop coming out of the soil. Once all of the air has escaped and the soil has expanded, your azalea plant should be able to absorb water normally again.
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