Fashion Azalea Care – Learn How To Grow Fashion Azalea Shrubs
No, “Fashion Azalea” is not the name of a hot new designer of clothing for the stars. What is a fashion azalea? It’s the common name of a vivid azalea cultivar that you might want to invite into your garden. It you want more fashion azalea information, or tips on how to grow fashion azalea, read on.
What is a Fashion Azalea?
A fashion azalea (Rhododendron x 'Fashion') is an evergreen shrub with brilliantly fiery blossoms. The azalea cultivar ‘Fashion' grows upright to 5 feet (1.5 m.) tall and wide. It is covered with crimson or salmon colored flowers from autumn through winter. According to fashion azalea information, this cultivar blooms in spring, fall, and winter unless its progress is halted by a serious frost. The flowers remain on the branches long after they fade.
Growing Fashion Azaleas
If you are considering growing fashion azaleas, you may want to know the cultivar’s history. It resulted from an extensive breeding program by the USDA at Glenn Dale, Maryland. It is one of the 4,500 varieties called the Glenn Dale hybrids. Many Glenn Dale azalea varieties are vigorous plants with large blossoms that have greater cold hardiness than standard azalea shrubs. There are many varieties that bloom in mid and late season. ‘Fashion’ is a midseason bloomer, and its flowering peaks in late spring. If you are growing Glenn Dale hybrids, you can achieve a continual bloom of azaleas for much of the year. Many gardeners prefer a succession of blooming azaleas rather than one big explosion of color. Fashion azaleas grow best in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 10. If you live in one of these zones, growing these azaleas is easy. As for Fashion azalea care, you will be pleased to learn how undemanding this cultivar is. Plant fashion azalea shrubs in shade, partial shade, or sun and they will still be happy. Provide your shrubs with well-drained, organically rich soil and give them regular and generous irrigation during establishment. More fashion azalea information tells us these are acid-loving plants, so treat them to an acid-based fertilizer once the shrubs have bloomed. As part of your fashion azalea care, protect their roots from sun and cold by adding a thick layer of mulch over the root zone.
Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
Sign up for the Gardening Know How newsletter today and receive a free download of our DIY eBook "Bring Your Garden Indoors: 13 DIY Projects For Fall And Winter".
Teo Spengler has been gardening for 30 years. She is a docent at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Her passion is trees, 250 of which she has planted on her land in France.
-
The Best Gifts For Gardeners: 25 Thoughtful Ideas To Delight For Christmas 2024
Treat that special gardener in your life to a gift they'll cherish over the holiday season and for many years to come, with our expertly curated selection.
By Melanie Griffiths
-
Try These 5 Types Of Spruce Trees – Easy Ways To Add Evergreen Beauty To Every Garden
You might not have the largest yard or plot, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grow the mighty spruce. These 5 types of spruce trees are very adaptable to different spaces
By Teo Spengler