Azalea shrubs belong to the Rhododendron genus. Rhododendron is a genus of 400 to 1000 species and includes both of what we commonly call rhododendrons and azaleas. There are basically two categories of azaleas available, evergreen and deciduous. The variety within the two categories differ in size, shape, flower color and light preference.
Azaleas are grown for their showy spring flowers and in the case of evergreen types for their attractive winter foliage. True rhododendrons have 10 stamens in a flower and azaleas have only 5. Much hybridization has resulted in a great number of hybrid cultivars. Of note to gardeners in cool temperate areas are the large and small leaved evergreen rhododendrons and the evergreen and deciduous azaleas.
Deciduous azaleas are deciduous shrubs that grow as multi-stemmed plants from the ground. They have thinner leaves than the evergreen azaleas and rhododendrons and drop their leaves in fall. Flowering occurs early in spring before or just as the new foliage emerges. They have been widely hybridized and many cultivars procduce a lavish display of flowers. Colors run from white to yellow, pink, orange, red and lavender.
- Sweet Azalea (Rhododendron arborescens)
- Coast Azalea (Rhododendron atlanticum)
- Flame Azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum)
- Royal Azalea (Rhododendron schlippenbachii)
- Pink-Shell Azalea (Rhododendron vaseyi)
- Swamp Azalea (Rhododendron viscosum)
- Alabama Azalea ( Rhododendron alabamense)
- Pontic Azalea ( Rhododendron luteum)
- Formosa Azalea (Azalea indica ‘Formosa’)
- Golden Lights Azalea (Rhododendron ‘Golden Lights’)
- Fragrant Star Azalea (Rhododendron ‘Fragrant Star’)
- Percy-Wiseman Azalea (Rhododendron ‘Percy Wiseman’ )
- Lemon Light Azalea (Rhododendron ‘Lemon Light’)
- Daviesi Azalea (Rhododendron Daviesi)
- Pinxterbloom Azalea
- Kaempfer Azalea
- White Kyushu Azalea
- White Lights Azalea
- Weston’s Lollipop Azalea
- Pink Beauty Azalea
- Pleasant White Azalea
- Peach Abbott Azalea
- Pink And Sweet Azalea
- Orchid Lights Azalea
- Narcissiflora Azalea
- Mother’s Day Azalea
- Lollipop Azalea
- Karen Azalea
- Hino Crimson Azalea
- Johanna Azalea
- Hershey’s Red Azalea
- Jane Abbott Azalea
- Hershey’s Pink Azalea
- Blaauw’s Pink Azalea
- Komo Kulshan Azalea
Sweet Azalea
Commonly known as Sweet Azalea or Smooth Azalea, is a very large and appealing Azalea variety. It bears funnel-shaped, white flowers, often tinged pink, with protruding red stamens that extend elegantly beyond the petals. Held in small clusters flowers, they bloom profusely in early to midsummer and exude a strong perfume of heliotrope. The foliage of elliptic, glossy green leaves turns deep red to purple in fall, for a memorable display.
Coastal Azalea
Commonly known as Coastal Azalea or Dwarf Azalea, is a delightfully fragrant, semi-dwarf Azalea variety, that often Blooms before the leaves emerge in mid to late spring. It’s consists of funnel-shaped, white flowers, with elegantly protruding stamens, that are often softly blushed with pink on the outside. These blooms contrast beautifully with the deciduous foliage of elliptic, blue-green leaves. The powerful musky fragrance of this Azalea makes it a valuable addition alongside walking paths.
Flame Azalea
Regarded as one of the most gorgeous Azalea shrub, flame Azalea is certainly spectacular with its very showy flowers. It’s blooms are larger and slightly scented, with buds resembling candle flames (hence the common name). Blooming for up to 2 weeks, the flowers come in a wide range of fiery colors including golden-yellow, glowing orange shades and brilliant red, usually with an orange blotch on their upper lobe. Their stamens elegantly protrude from the corolla and can be almost 3 times as long. Its deciduous foliage of ovate to elliptic mid-green, softly hairy leaves, sometimes turns a muted yellow in fall. Both leaves and branches often appear in whorls.
Royal Azalea
Royal Azalea is a gorgeous upright, rounded, deciduous Azalea with four seasons of interest. As the leaves emerge in mid to late spring, abundant clusters of slightly scented, saucer-shaped pink flowers appear at the branch tips, adding elegance and beauty to this Azalea variety. Equally attractive leaves of obovate, pale green, flushed with pinkish bronze, are borne in handsome whorls at the branch ends. In the fall, the leaves turn eye-catching shades of brilliant red, orange and yellow in a stunning display. Extremely cold hardy and a very reliable performer, this Azalea species reportedly tolerates more neutral soils than most azaleas.
Pink-Shell Azalea
Pink-Shell Azalea is a beautiful, irregular rounded shrub which features trusses of delicate pink to white, flat-faced flowers on leafless stems, with some prominent spotting in their throat. Blooming in mid-spring, the blossoms appear before the foliage of shiny, dark green leaves emerge. In fall, its foliage turns from bright green to glowing orange and red, igniting the garden with color. A wonderful landscape plant that deserves a place near a patio, deck or living area, where its delightful fragrance can be enjoyed.
Swamp Azalea
Swamp Azalea is a very appealing deciduous Azalea variety. This bushy, medium-sized plant bears funnel-shaped, white flowers, often tinged pink, with long slender tubes. Held in small clusters the flowers bloom profusely after the leaves emerge, in early summer and exude a strong clove-like perfume. The foliage of lustrous, elliptic, dark green leaves turns brilliant shades of yellow, orange and purple in fall, for a great colorful show. Exceptionally cold-hardy, this late season Azalea can withstand temperatures as low as to -20°F (-29°C). Perfect for beds and borders, cottage gardens, banks and slopes. It can also work effectively as a flowering hedge or privacy screen.
Alabama Azalea
Alabama Azalea is a beautiful, rounded, Azalea variety boasting a profusion of lemon-scented white flowers with a prominent yellow blotch on their upper petals. Blooming in mid to late spring, the funnel-shaped flowers are adorned with elegantly protruding stamens. They bloom are usually in clusters and contrast beautifully with the deciduous foliage of simple, dark green leaves. Alabama Azalea occurs naturally in hardwood forests, on slopes, along ridges, and on hill sides. It spreads by underground runners to form a charming colony over time. A wonderful landscape plant that deserves a place near a patio, deck or living area, where its delightful fragrance can be enjoyed.
Pontic Azalea
Pontic Azalea, is a striking, bushy, medium-sized Azalea variety. Its large floral trusses produce a magnificent display of funnel-shaped, bright golden-yellow flowers, with a darker yellow blotch. In late spring to early summer, the air around the flowers is delightfully scented, making this Azalea a valuable addition near a patio and around the home. Equally attractive, the deciduous foliage of oblong to oblanceolate, mid green leaves warms up to eye-catching shades of brilliant orange, yellow and red in fall.
Formosa Azalea
Formosa Azalea features large, eye-catching magenta flowers that bloom in the spring and, in some areas, in the autumn. These flowering bushes can grow to 4 to 8 feet tall and wide, so you’ll need a spot to accommodate their size. The azalea growth rate per year is known to be slow, though, with height increases that are less than 12 inches a year. Azalea formosa has deep green, delicate leaves that stay green year-round.
Golden Lights Azalea
Golden Lights Azalea is a compact Azalea variety that belongs to the Northern Lights Hybrid Series developed at the University of Minnesota. Golden Lights Azalea bears abundant flat trusses of luminous, funnel-shaped, golden or butter-yellow flowers with lovely salmon-pink to orange highlights. The foliage of narrow, olive green leaves has the added advantage of greater resistance to mildew than some other hybrid azalea cultivars. A very reliable performer, this flamboyant Azalea features a nice mounded habit and looks terrific in shrub borders.
Fragrant Star Azalea
Regarded as one of the most fragrant Azalea variety and is a pretty addition to the mid spring garden with its masses of very strongly scented, funnel-shaped, pure white flowers. The deciduous foliage of blue-green leaves is equally attractive. Its leaves are smaller than on other deciduous azaleas, broadly elliptic, with glaucous undersides. ‘Fragrant Star’ resembles its popular parent, Rhododendron ‘Snowbird’, but displays larger flowers and thicker leaves. It is a low maintenance plant and also quite cold hardy and can withstand temperatures as low as -20°F (-29°C).
Percy Wiseman Azalea
Percy Wiseman Azalea is a semi-dwarf evergreen shrub with color changing flowers. Blooming in mid to late spring, it displays an abundance of trumpet-shaped flowers. Opening creamy pink, the flowers gradually turn creamy white with a yellow throat as they mature, after passing through shades of red, pink and pale purplish pink. Since each flower opens and ages at different times, ‘Percy Wiseman provides a ravishing and colorful display. The evergreen leaves are glossy, narrow and dark green on this compact, rounded and well-branched shrub.
Lemon Lights Azalea
Lemon Lights Azalea is a hardy deciduous azalea, smothered in showy fragrant light yellow flowers in spring before the leaves, tall upright habit and good fall color. Lemon Lights Azalea is smothered in stunning clusters of lightly-scented lemon yellow trumpet-shaped flowers with a yellow blotch at the ends of the branches in mid spring before the leaves. It has green foliage throughout the season. The narrow leaves turn an outstanding purple in the fall. A wonderful landscape plant that deserves a place near a patio, deck or living area, where its delightful fragrance can be enjoyed.
Daviesii Azalea
Daviesii Azalea is a beautiful, compact azalea variety producing elegant, funnel-shaped, creamy-white flowers with a yellow flare. Opening from pink buds in late spring to early summer, the highly fragrant blossoms contrast beautifully with the handsome foliage of bluish-green leaves. ‘Daviesii’ belongs to the Ghent Hybrid Azaleas. Ghent azaleas are hardy deciduous shrubs derived from Rhododendron luteum and various American species. They have slender-tubed, funnel-shaped, usually fragrant flowers in early summer, in shades of pink, yellow, orange, red and white. They never fail to provide a splendid display when massed in shrub borders.