The Occidentale Hybrids are the merchandise chiefly of R. occidentale , the Western Azalea native to the Pacific Coast . This mintage and its cultivar are seldom successful in the eastern U.S. , but are an excellent choice for a West Coast garden . improbable , upright , deciduous shrub that is cold hardy down to -12 stage F. Leaves are elliptic to oblong , glossy , medium super acid , 1 1/4 to 3 1/2 inches long . folio undersides are glaucous . flower are borne in large , showy trusses in mid - spring just after the leaves come forth . The deciduous azalea is known for superb autumn people of colour and unsurpassed springtime blossom . It is usually less finical about stain conditions , though it too prefers well - drained and acid conditions . Though azaleas have a potentially orotund list of potential gadfly and disease problem , they are normally trouble free if plant aright in proper cultural conditions .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and specter pattern change during the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . The westerly side of a house may even be shady due to apparition cast by large trees or a bodily structure from an neighboring prop . If you have just buy a fresh place or just beginning to garden in your older home , take time to represent Dominicus and wraith throughout the day . You will get a more exact feel for your site ’s truthful easy condition . condition : Filtered LightFor many plants that prefer partly fly-by-night conditions , separate out lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree that let some light through their arm or beneath marvelous plants that will provide some protection . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light that is filtered . Sunlight , though not verbatim , is important to them . Often morning sunlight , because it is not as strong as afternoon sun , can be regard part sun or part ghost . If you live in an area that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be fine . In other area such as Florida , plant in a location where afternoon shade will be received . Conditions : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plant to take their full potential . Many of these plant will do very well with a little less sunlight , although they may not flower as hard or their leaf as vibrant . surface area on the southerly and westerly sides of buildings usually are the cheery . The only exception is when house or buildings are so near together , shadows are throw up from neighboring property . Full sun usually means 6 or more hours of direct unobstructed sunshine on a sunny day . Partial sun receive less than 6 hours of sun , but more than 3 minute . Plants capable to take full sun in some climates may only be capable to tolerate part sun in other climate . screw the culture of the plant before you buy and imbed it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenating .
Pinching is withdraw the stem backsheesh of a young plant to promote branch . Doing this avoids the penury for more stern pruning subsequently on .
cutting involve removing whole branches back to the proboscis . This may be done to give up the interior of a plant to allow more light in and to increase air circulation that can hack down on flora disease . The good fashion to start out cutting is to begin by removing dead or diseased wood .
Shearing is leveling the open of a shrub using hand or galvanic shears . This is done to asseverate the desired shape of a hedge or topiary .
rejuvenate is remotion of old branches or the overall reduction of the size of it of a shrub to restore its original form and size . It is advocate that you do not move out more than one third of a plant at a metre . Remember to transfer branches from the inside of the flora as well as the outside . When restore works with cane , such as nandina , cut back canes at various heights so that plant will have a more instinctive flavour . condition : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant performance , it is desirable to oppose the right plant life with the available light condition . good flora , correct place ! plant which do not receive sufficient light may become sick in colour , have fewer farewell and a " leggy " extend - out show . Also expect plants to originate slower and have few blooms when luminosity is less than suitable . It is possible to provide auxiliary lighting for indoor plant life with lamps . plant can also receive too much light . If a shade make out plant is exposed to lineal sun , it may droop and/or have leaf to be sunburned or otherwise damage . Conditions : Full SunFull Sunis delimitate as exposure to more than 6 hour of continuous , verbatim sun per solar day .
Watering
The key fruit to tearing is water profoundly and less frequently . When watering , water well , i.e. provide enough H2O to exhaustively saturate the root ball . With in - ground plants , this means exhaustively soaking the grime until water supply has penetrated to a astuteness of 6 to 7 inch ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , apply enough piddle to allow piddle to flow through the drain holes .
seek to irrigate plant early in the twenty-four hour period or by and by in the good afternoon to preserve body of water and cut down on plant strain . Do water early enough so that water has had a chance to dry out from plant leave prior to night fall . This is preponderating if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to urine until plant droop . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will snuff it if they droop too much ( when they reach the lasting wilting point ) .
look at water conservation methods such as drip mould irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . trickle system which slowly drip wet directly on the root system can be buy at your local rest home and garden center . Mulches can importantly cool the ancestor zona and conserve moisture .
see adding water - saving colloidal gel to the root zona which will bear a taciturnity of water for the plant life . These can make a world of difference peculiarly under stressful conditions . Be certain to follow label centering for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be keep evenly moist and watered regularly , as condition demand . Most plants like 1 inch of water a week during the growing time of year , but take caution not to over water . The first two old age after a industrial plant is installed , steady watering is important for establishment . The first year is critical . It is better to water once a hebdomad and water deep , than to water frequently for a few minute .
Planting
A workweek to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inch of aged manure or compost and work into the planting land site to ameliorate fertility and increase water retention and drainage . If soil musical composition is weak , a stratum of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is sand or clay , it can be improved by adding the same thing : constitutional affair . The more , the in force ; act late into the territory . Prepare bed to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a awful amount of work now , but will greatly yield off later on . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plants have been established . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous flowering shrubfor two intellect : 1 . By take away previous , discredited or numb wood , you increase air current , yielding in less disease . 2 . You rejuvenate novel growth which increases flower production .
Pruning deciduous shrubs can be separate into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only deadened , diseased , damaged , or crossed branches , can be done in early spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new growth which produces summer heyday - in other word , flowers appear on new wood);summer pruning after flower(after anthesis , write out back shoot , and take out some of the old increase , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers seem on wood from old year . Cut back flowered stems by 1/2 , to firm growing new shoot and bump off 1/2 of the bloom staunch a couple of inches from the dry land ) Always bump off dead , damaged or pathological wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .
Examples : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . springiness : 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 hole twice the size of the tooth root ball and mysterious enough to imbed at the same horizontal surface the shrub was in the container . If soil is poor , dig hole out even wider and fill up with a mixture half original soil and one-half compost or grime amendment .
Carefully take away shrub from container and gently freestanding root . Position in center of hole , unspoiled side look forward . Fill in with original grease or an amended mix if call for as described above . For large shrub , construct a water well . Finish by mulching and water well .
If the plant is ball - and - burlapped , remove fasteners and fold back the top of natural gunny , tucking it down into hole , after you ’ve positioned shrub . verify that all gunny is forget so that it wo n’t wick water aside from rootball during red-hot , juiceless periods . If synthetic burlap , absent if potential . If not potential , cut aside or make slits to allow for roots to develop into the Modern ground . For larger shrub , build up a water well . Finish by mulch and watering well .
If shrub is bare - root word , look for a stain somewhere near the floor ; this mark is probable where the soil line was . If soil is too sandy or too clayey , bring constitutional affair . This will avail with both drainage and water holding electrical capacity . Fill grime , firm just enough to corroborate bush . Finish by mulching and watering well .
Problems
Possible ascendance : keep weeds down ; role screen in window to keep them out ; take infested plants aside from non - infested plant ; habituate a reflective mulch ( aluminum enhancer ) under plant ( this repels whitefly ) ; ambush with xanthous unenviable cards , use labeled pesticides ; further natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady exhibitor of water will wash them off the industrial plant . Pest : AphidsAphids are minor , soft - corporate , slow - moving insects that suck fluids from plant . Aphidscome in many colors , range from light-green to brown to black , and they may have wings . They assail a wide range of plant specie get stunting , deform leaves and bud . They can transmit harmful industrial plant viruses with their piercing / sucking mouthpart . Aphids , broadly , are merely a pain in the neck , since it takes many of them to cause serious plant equipment casualty . However aphids do produce a sweet substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive pitch-dark control surface maturation call sooty mold .
Aphids can increase apace in number and each female person can produce up to 250 live nymph in the course of a calendar month without mating . Aphids often look when the environment changes - leap & fall . They ’re often mass at the tips of subdivision feeding on succulent tissue paper . Aphids are attracted to the color yellowness and will often hitchhike on yellow clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep gage to an downright minimum , especially around desirable plant . On edible , dampen off infected area of plant . madam bugs and lacewing will feed on aphids in the garden . There are various products - organic and inorganic - that can be used to control aphid . search the testimonial of a professional and keep abreast all recording label procedures to a tee . fungus kingdom : RustsMostrustsare host specific and overwinter on leaves , stems and spent flower debris . Rust often appears as little , bright orange , white-livered , or browned pustule on the bottom of leaf . If tinge , it will leave behind a colored post of spore on the finger . due to fungus and spread out by splash water or pelting , rusting is defective when conditions is moist .
Prevention and Control : institute resistant varieties and provide maximal air circulation . Clean up all rubble , especially around plants that have had a problem . Do not irrigate from overhead and water system only during the day so that plants will have enough time to dry before dark . enforce a antifungal agent labeled for rust on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis normally found on plants that do not have enough air circulation or fair to middling light . job are tough where Night are cool and day are warm and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is unremarkably establish on the upper control surface of leaves or fruit . leave of absence will often turn yellow or brownish , curl up , and drop off . New foliage egress crinkled and ill-shapen . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drops early .
Prevention and Control : Plant tolerant varieties and space plants properly so they incur adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is predominant for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . Apply antimycotic according to recording label counselling before job becomes grievous and follow focussing incisively , not missing any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - scavenge up and remove all leaves , flush , or dust in the fall and destroy . pestis : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the young shape of moths and butterflies . They are wolfish feeders attacking a across-the-board variety of plants . They can be highly destructive and are qualify as leafage eater , stem borers , folio roller , cutworm and tent - former .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , scout individual industrial plant and remove Caterpillar , apply label insect powder such as soaps and oils , take advantage of natural enemies such as parasitic wasp in the garden and use Bacillus thuringiensis ( biological warfare ) for some caterpillar coinage . Diseases : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when soil moisture levels are excessively in high spirits and fungous spore present in the soil , come in middleman with the susceptible plant . The base of halt discolor and reduce , and leave further up the stalk wilt and die . Leaves near base are move first . The root will turn black and moulder or break . This fungi can be introduced by using unsterilised soil commixture or pollute water .
Prevention and ControlRemove affect plants and their roots , and discard surround soil . Replace with plant life that are not susceptible , and only use fresh , sterilize grunge mix . Hold back on fertilize too . Try not to over water system industrial plant and make trusted that grime is well drained prior to planting . This fungus is not treatable by chemical .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptoms face standardised to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to thrive in well debilitate soils . Fungi : Leaf SpotsLeaf spot are get by fungi or bacterium . dark-brown or bleak spot and patches may be either ragged or rotary , with a water soaked or yellow - edge show . insect , rainfall , muddied garden tools , or even the great unwashed can help its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infect leafage when the industrial plant is ironical . leaf that gather up around the al-Qaida of the plant should be rake up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if potential ; piddle should be directed at grime level . For fungal foliage spot , use a commend fungicide grant to recording label charge .
Fungi : Black SpotA known rose disease , Black Spotappears on young leave as irregular black circles , often having a yellow halo . Circles or spore colonies may grow to 1/2 in in diameter . Leaves will change by reversal yellow and shake off off , only to grow more parting that will follow the same pattern . Roses may not make it through the winter if dark spot is severe . The fungus will also affect the size of it and calibre of prime .
Prevention and Control : Plant repellent varieties for your area . Always water from the ground , never overhead . Practice just sanitization - clean up and destroy rubble , specially around plant life that have had a trouble . When snip rosiness , even deadheading , dip pruners in a bleach / weewee solvent after each cut . If a plant seems to have chronic black slur , remove it . A 2 - 3 inch thick level of mulch at the base of plant deoxidize splashing . Do not await until opprobrious spot is a huge problem to curb ! Start early on . Spray with a fungicide labeled for black-market spot on blush wine . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are worm , related to mealy bugs , that can be a job on a wide motley of plant - indoor and out-of-door . Young scales crawl until they see a near feeding site . The grownup females then lose their leg and remain on a spot protect by its concentrated shell layer . They appear as bump , often on the lower side of farewell . They have pierce mouth parts that lactate the sap out of flora tissue paper . Scales can weaken a plant life leave to yellow-bellied foliage and folio drop . They also produce a fresh substance called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can conduct to an unattractive black surface fungous development called jet moulding .
Prevention and Control : Once set up they are hard to command . Isolate infested plants forth from those that are not infested . Consult your local garden essence professional or Cooperative Extension business office in your county for a legal passport regarding their control . Encourage rude opposition such as leechlike white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden . Diseases : southerly BlightPlants with Southern blight have lesions on the stem at , or close , the soil line of reasoning . These lesion produce rapidly , girdle the stem and resulting in a sudden and lasting wilting of the plant . mellow temperature ( above 85 degrees F , 29 degrees C ) favour the disease . The fungus attacks a encompassing range of a function of works and survive for long period in soil . To curb , treat with a urge antimycotic agent according to label way . blighter : LacebugsLacebugsare snowy to pale brown , 1/8 inch long , rectangular in configuration with have lacy wings and commonly found on the underside of leave-taking where they suck sap . Nymphs may appear barbellate and darker than adults . Lacebugs , which do not fly , are sometimes obnubilate with whitefly that do fly . Damage usually come out as stipples or " " bleached - looking " " spots on the leaves . severely , black excretory product can usually be witness on the bottom of leaves . Damage is most seeable during the summer , particularly on trees . Flowering shrubs , though alive , appear light and almost lifeless .
Prevention and Control : If plague is soft , wash away with a jet-propelled plane of soapy water or prune aside infested leave or limbs . Timing is important : spray according to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your area . To control insect , spray underside of leaves with a recommended insect powder harmonize to label direction . Conditions : ChlorosisEntire leaves or area around veins in leaves appear yellow . This is the result of decreased iron consumption from the soil due to high pH or waterlogged soil . It is of import to know the pH requirements of plants . Prior to planting , amend soil to better drain and adjust pH , if necessary . greensickness is usual in plant growing close to concrete or planted in alkaline soil . do by with an iron postscript according to recording label management .
Miscellaneous
Although many people believe that cooler temperature are responsible for the colour change , the weather has nothing to do with it at all . As the days grow shorter and the nighttime longer , a chemical clock inside the tree diagram starts up , releasing a endocrine which restricts the flow of sap to each leaf . As fall progresses , the sap flowing slows and chlorophyl , the chemical that give the leaves their green color in the spring and summer , disappears . The residual muggins becomes more hard as it dry , produce the colors of downslope . gloss : Low MaintenanceLow maintenancedoes not mean no maintenance . It does mean that once a plant is established , very little need to be done in the way of water , fertilizing , pruning , or treatment in ordering for the plant to rest respectable and attractive . A well - designed garden , which deal your lifestyle into consideration , can greatly foreshorten maintenance . Glossary : NaturalizingNaturalizingrefers to plant in a random rule , much as itwould occur in nature . If you spend any fourth dimension in the woods , you ’ve in all likelihood detect that plants often grow in groups . The plaza of the group is heavy and towards the edges , industrial plant are locate farther apart . Narcissus bulbs are prosperous to naturalize if you utilize this method acting : fill a pail with bulbs and toss them out . Plant them where they fall . You will notice a portion of the bulbs are close together while the others have scattered far away . Glossary : SpecimenAspecimencan be a tree , shrub , ground cover , yearly , or recurrent that is unique in comparison to the surrounding plant life . Uniqueness may be in color , manikin , texture , or size . By using only one specimen works in a visual area , it can be showcased . Specimen works are accents in the landscape , just as statue , water features , or arbors . Glossary : DeciduousDeciduousrefers to those plants that drop off their leaves or needles at the ending of the growing time of year . Glossary : Long LastingLong Lasting : having blossoms that last for an extended menstruation of time . Some plants may have the visual aspect of providing long lasting flowers because they are fecund , repeat bloomers . gloss : pHpH , mean the potential of Hydrogen , is the measure of alkalinity or acidity . In gardening , pH refer to the pH of soil . The scale measures from 0 , most sulphurous , to 14 , most alkaline . Seven is inert . Most plants prefer a range between 5.5 and about 6.7 , an acerb range , but there are batch of other works that like land more alkaline , or above 7 . A pH of 7 is where the plant can most easily absorb the most food in the filth . Some works favor more or less of sure food , and therefore do better at a certain pH.Glossary : Large ShrubA shrub is considered large when it is over 6 feet tall . Glossary : Landscape UsesBy searching Landscape Uses , you will be able to pinpoint plant that are best suited for particular uses such as trellises , border plantings , or basis . gloss : U. S. NativesNative plants require low-spirited maintenance and usually have less pest trouble . They are key components in the xeriphytic landscape and backyard wildlife home ground . pick out your region and the search will take care for all plants in the database that are native to your expanse . How - to : Getting the Most Out of Cut FlowersCut flowers bring the garden into your home . While some cut flowers have a long vase life , most are highly perishable . How cut peak are handle when you first land them home can importantly increase how long they last .
The most crucial thing to study is getting sufficient water taken up into the deletion stem . Insufficient water can result in wilting and short - go efflorescence . out to neck of roses , where the flower nous droops , is the result of pitiable weewee ingestion . To maximize water uptake , first re - cut the stems at an slant so that the vascular system ( the " " plumbing " " of the fore ) is clear . Next immerse the cut stems in warm pee .
commend when the flower is cut , it is reduce off from its solid food supplying . Once water system is taken care of , solid food is the resource that will run out next . The plants stanch naturally feed the flowers with lettuce . If you add a minute of sugar ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water , this will help oneself fertilize the flower stems and extend their vase life .
Bacteria will build up in vase water and eventually clog up up the stem so the blossom can not take up water . To preclude this , change the vase piss ofttimes and make a newfangled cut in the stems every few day .
flowered preservative , uncommitted from florists , contain wampum , acids and bacteriacides that can poke out make out flower aliveness . These come in small packet and are in general uncommitted where cut blossom are sell . If used properly , these can stretch the vase living of some cut efflorescence 2 to 3 times when compared with just unpatterned piss in the vase . gloss : TolerantTolerant refer to a plant ’s ability to tolerate exposure to an external condition(s ) . It does not think of that the plant life thrives or prefers this situation , but is able-bodied to adapt and continue its life Hz . gloss : VirusesViruses , which are small-scale than bacteria , are not live and do not double on their own . They must rely on the cellular mechanics of their hosts to double . Because this greatly disrupts the cell ’s functionality , outward signs of a viral infection result in a industrial plant disease with symptom such as abnormal or stunted growth , damage yield , discolorations or spot .
Prevention and Control : Keep computer virus carriers such as aphids , leafhoppers , and thrip under control . These plant feeding louse spread virus . virus can also be introduced by infected pollen or through works possibility ( as when dress ) . Begin bykeeping the pathogen outof your garden . New plant should be check , as well as tools and existing plant life . habituate only certified cum that is deemed disease - costless . works only resistant varietiesandcreate a discouraging environmentby rotate crop , not planting closely related plants in the same area every year . Glossary : Growth BudsPlant stems contain legion buds that will produce and renew a flora when brace by pruning . There are three basic types of bud : last , sidelong and torpid . Terminal buds are at the tips of sprig or branches . They uprise to make the limb 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 raise into side branches resulting in a thicker , bushy industrial plant . sidelong buds are blue down on the twig and are often at the detail of foliage adherence . Pruning them encourages the terminal bud , resulting in a long , thin branch . inactive buds may stay inactive in the bark or stem and will only turn after the flora is foreshorten back . Glossary : FertilizeFertilize just before unexampled increase begins with a complete plant food . gloss : PruningNow is the favorite time to clip this plant .
