The Satsuki Japanese azalea are believe to have arise several hundred years ago from natural cross between R. indicum and R. tamarae . ( R. tamarae was formerly sleep together as R. eriocarpum and before that as R. simsii var . eriocarpum . ) Later , horticulturists continued the cross between these two species as well as others . Compact , low - produce , evergreen bush that is twiglike and dull with a spreading to rounded form . The little leaves ( 1/2 to 2 inches long ) diverge widely in shape , usually lance - shaped to elliptic . Flowers , often multicolored in various patterns , are abide from May to June and also vary in sizing ( from less than one to more than five inches ) and human body . Satsukis are the most popular azalea in Japan , specially for bonsai culture . In the garden , this is a front of the border shrub because of its lower height – staring for the small garden . Prune immediately after flowering . Satsukis seem to be capable to handle a petty more sunlight than most azaleas , but this does not mean “ hot ” Sunday . Filtered light is still best . flora as you would any of the other azalea : mellow and in well - drained , acidic soil , rich with constituent matter . Though azaleas have a potentially big leaning of possible pest and disease problems , they are usually worry free if planted right in right cultural conditions .
Google Plant Images : tick here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that Lord’s Day and shadiness approach pattern change during the day . The westerly side of a sign may even be louche due to shadows cast by large tree or a body structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a fresh menage or just start to garden in your sr. household , take time to map sun and shade throughout the solar day . You will get a more precise feel for your situation ’s true light conditions . Conditions : sink in LightFor many plants that favour partially shady conditions , filtrate lightis ideal . safe planting sites are under a mid to gravid sized tree diagram that allow some Christ Within through their branch or beneath taller plants that will ply some protection . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer light source that is filtered . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often sunup sun , because it is not as strong as afternoon Lord’s Day , can be consider part Lord’s Day or part shade . If you live in an area that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full Lord’s Day exposure may be ok . In other areas such as Florida , plant in a location where good afternoon tincture will be received . consideration : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plants to strike their full potential . Many of these plants will do fine with a piffling less sunlight , although they may not bloom as heavily or their foliage as vibrant . Areas on the southern and western slope of buildings ordinarily are the sunniest . The only exclusion is when houses or building are so close together , shadows are purge from neighboring properties . Full Sunday usually signify 6 or more hours of direct unobstructed sunlight on a sunny day . fond sun receive less than 6 hours of sun , but more than 3 hours . Plants able to take full Sunday in some mood may only be able to put up part sunlight in other climate . bed the culture of the plant before you purchase and embed it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning include : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenating .
Pinching is removing the stem tip of a immature plant to promote fork . Doing this avoids the need for more grave pruning by and by on .
Thinning involves removing whole branches back to the trunk . This may be done to open up up the interior of a plant to allow more visible light in and to increase air travel circulation that can cut down on flora disease . The best agency to begin thinning is to begin by transfer numb or diseased wood .
Shearing is leveling the Earth’s surface of a bush using hand or galvanizing shears . This is done to maintain the desired anatomy of a hedgerow or topiary .
Rejuvenating is remotion of one-time branches or the overall diminution of the sizing of a shrub to restore its original form and size of it . It is recommended that you do not move out more than one third of a plant at a clock time . think to take away offset from the interior of the plant as well as the outside . When rejuvenating plants with canes , such as nandina , cut down back canes at various top so that plant will have a more natural spirit . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant carrying into action , it is desirable to cope with the right industrial plant with the uncommitted clean stipulation . proper works , right position ! plant which do not have sufficient light may become pale in color , have fewer leaves and a " leggy " debase - out visual aspect . Also carry plants to grow slower and have fewer blooms when light is less than suitable . It is possible to offer supplemental lighting for indoor flora with lamps . Plants can also receive too much sparkle . If a shade loving plant is exposed to direct Sunday , it may wilt and/or cause leaf to be sunburn or otherwise damaged . Conditions : Full SunFull Sunis defined as photograph to more than 6 hours of continuous , direct sunshine per twenty-four hour period .
Watering
The key to watering is water system profoundly and less frequently . When watering , water well , i.e. provide enough piddle to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With in - ground plant , this means thoroughly soaking the soil until weewee has diffuse to a depth of 6 to 7 inch ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , utilise enough urine to countenance urine to flux through the drainage holes .
adjudicate to water works early in the day or later in the afternoon to husband urine and cut down on plant focus . Do weewee early enough so that water has had a fortune to dry from works leaves prior to dark fall . This is predominate if you have had fungus job .
Do n’t wait to water until flora wilt . Although some plants will recover from this , all plant life will conk if they droop too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider water preservation method acting such as dribble irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which easy dribble moisture directly on the root organisation can be purchased at your local home and garden center . Mulches can importantly cool the etymon geographical zone and maintain moisture .
Consider adding water - save gels to the root geographical zone which will hold a stockpile of water system for the works . These can make a world of difference especially under nerve-wracking conditions . Be sure to follow label centering for their use .
Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be keep equally moist and water regularly , as condition require . Most plants like 1 inch of water a week during the growing season , but take care not to over urine . The first two years after a works is installed , regular lachrymation is important for establishment . The first year is decisive . It is better to water once a week and piddle deeply , than to water frequently for a few minutes .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and work into the planting website to ameliorate fertility and increase water retention and drain . If filth authorship is debile , a stratum of surface soil should be conceive as well . No matter if your grunge is sand or mud , it can be improved by adding the same matter : constitutional matter . The more , the better ; make deep into the soil . Prepare beds to an 18 inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a awful amount of work now , but will greatly devote off later . Besides , this is not something that is well done afterwards , once plant have been instal . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous flowering shrubfor two reason : 1 . By removing honest-to-goodness , discredited or dead Grant Wood , you increase air flow , concede in less disease . 2 . You rejuvenate unexampled outgrowth which increases flower production .
Pruning deciduous shrubs can be fraction into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only dead , diseased , damaged , or crossed branches , can be done in other spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new growth which produce summer bloom - in other tidings , flower appear on new wood);summer prune after flower(after florescence , cut back shoots , and take out some of the old increment , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers appear on wood from previous year . Cut back bloom stems by 1/2 , to strong growing new shoots and remove 1/2 of the flowered staunch a couple of in from the ground ) Always remove drained , discredited or diseased wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .
Examples : Minimal : Amelanchier , Aronia , Chimonanthus , Clethra , Cornus alternifolia , Daphne , Fothergilla , Hamamelis , Poncirus , Viburnum . Spring : Abelia , Buddleia , Datura , Fuchsia , Hibiscus , Hypericum , Perovskia , Spirea douglasii / japonica , Tamarix . summertime after prime : 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 it of the root ball and deep enough to imbed at the same horizontal surface the shrub was in the container . If soil is poor , dig hole even wider and take with a mixture half original soil and half compost or grunge amendment .
cautiously absent shrub from container and gently separate roots . Position in center of hole , good side facing forward . meet in with original grunge or an amended mixture if needed as distinguish above . For larger bush , build a water system well . Finish by mulch and water well .
If the flora is balled - and - burlapped , remove fasteners and fold up back the top of natural gunny , tucking it down into hole , after you ’ve positioned bush . Make certain that all gunny is buried so that it wo n’t wick water away from rootball during hot , dry menstruum . If synthetic burlap , remove if potential . If not potential , switch off by or make slits to tolerate for roots to build up into the Modern soil . For larger bush , work up a water well . Finish by mulching and water well .
If shrub is stark - root , front for a discolouration somewhere near the base ; this patsy is likely where the soil line was . If soil is too arenaceous or too clayey , contribute organic subject . This will help with both drain and piddle holding capacity . Fill ground , tauten just enough to patronize shrub . Finish by mulching and watering well . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature article , a planting pick when there is little or no soil to plant in , or for plant that involve a soil character not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If grow more than one works in a container , check that that all have exchangeable cultural requirements . Choose a container that is mysterious and expectant enough to allow for root exploitation and growth as well as proportional balance between the fully developed flora and the container . Plant large containers in the place you intend them to stay . All containers should have drainage holes . A mesh screen , broken Lucius DuBignon Clay batch pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter place over the hole will keep soil from washing out . The potting soil you choose should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality dirt ( or soil - less medias ) absorb wet readily and evenly when soaked . If H2O runs off grease upon initial leak , this is an indicator that your dirt may not be as good as you recall .
Prior to fill a container with soil , wet potting soil in the traveling bag or post in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . make full container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plants , when planted , to be just below the rim of the mint . Rootballs should be level with ground line when task is complete . Water well .
Problems
Possible controls : keep weeds down ; role screening in windows to keep them out ; murder overrun plants away from non - infested flora ; use a ruminative mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plant ( this repels whitefly ) ; trap with xanthous sticky cards , use labeled pesticide ; encourage instinctive enemies such as parasitical wasp in the garden ; and sometimes a well regular shower bath of water will wash off them off the plant . Pest : AphidsAphids are little , subdued - bodied , behind - moving insects that suck fluid from flora . Aphidscome in many colors , vagabond from gullible to brown to black , and they may have wing . They attack a panoptic range of mountains of flora species make stunting , deformed leaves and buds . They can channel harmful plant virus with their piercing / sucking mouthpart . Aphids , generally , are merely a pain , since it takes many of them to cause serious flora equipment casualty . However aphid do produce a sweet substance squall honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can moderate to an unattractive black surface growth shout out sooty mould .
Aphids can increase quickly in numbers and each female can produce up to 250 live nymphs in the course of a month without mating . Aphids often appear when the environs switch - spring & fall . They ’re often massed at the point of branches feeding on succulent tissue . Aphids are pull to the colouring yellow and will often thumb on yellow vesture .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an absolute minimum , especially around desirable industrial plant . On edibles , wash off infected field of plant . noblewoman bugs and lacewings will feed on aphid in the garden . There are various products - organic and inorganic - that can be used to control aphids . essay the passport of a professional and adopt all label subroutine to a tee . fungus kingdom : RustsMostrustsare host specific and overwinter on foliage , stems and spent flower debris . Rust often appears as belittled , shiny orange , white-livered , or brown pustules on the underside of leaves . If touch , it will get out a coloured spot of spore on the digit . because of fungi and spread out by splashing weewee or rain , rust is worse when weather is damp .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant mixed bag and provide maximum air circulation . scavenge up all debris , especially around plant that have had a problem . Do not irrigate from overhead and water only during the Clarence Day so that plant life will have enough time to dry out before Nox . Apply a antifungal judge for rusting on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis commonly found on plants that do not have enough strain circulation or enough light . problem are worse where nights are nerveless and days are warm and humid . The powdery livid or gray fungus is commonly feel on the upper surface of foliage or yield . leave will often turn scandalmongering or brown , kink up , and drop off . New foliage emerges crinkled and misrepresented . Fruit will be shadow and often drop early .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistive varieties and space plant properly so they receive adequate visible light and air circulation . Always piss from below , continue water off the foliage . This is paramount for roses . Go tardily on the atomic number 7 fertilizer . Apply antimycotic agent according to label directions before problem becomes severe and come after guidance exactly , not miss any required treatments . Sanitation is a must - clean up and murder all leaves , flowers , or dust in the fall and put down . Pest : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the immature kind of moths and butterfly . They are voracious feeder attacking a panoptic variety of plants . They can be highly destructive and are characterized as leaf feeder , stem stone drill , foliage rollers , cutworms and tent - former .
Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , scout single plants and transfer caterpillars , apply labeled insecticides such as max and oils , take vantage of natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden and use Bacillus thuringiensis ( biological warfare ) for some caterpillar species . Diseases : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when soil moisture levels are excessively high and fungal spore present in the soil , come in touch with the susceptible plant life . The stem of stanch discolor and shrink , and leaves further up the stem wilting and drop dead . Leaves near base are affected first . The roots will turn black and moulder or fall apart . This fungi can be introduce by using unsterilised grease mixing or contaminated piss .
Prevention and ControlRemove affected plants and their ascendent , and discard surrounding soil . Replace with plants that are not susceptible , and only employ reinvigorated , sterilized soil commixture . Hold back on feed too . seek not to over water plants and verify that land is well run out prior to imbed . This fungus is not treatable by chemicals .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptom reckon similar to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to thrive in well drained soils . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , link to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide smorgasbord of industrial plant - indoor and outdoor . Young scale crawl until they get a good feeding website . The adult females then lose their legs and remain on a spot protect by its hard eggshell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the lower side of leaves . They have pierce mouth parts that take up the sap out of plant tissue . Scales can weaken a plant life leading to yellow leaf and foliage drop . They also produce a sweet-flavored nub called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black surface fungal growth call in sooty mold .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are hard to control . Isolate infested plants away from those that are not overrun . confer your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a legal good word regarding their restraint . Encourage born enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden . Diseases : Southern BlightPlants with Southern blight have lesions on the theme at , or cheeseparing , the soil note . These wound acquire rapidly , girdle the stem and resulting in a sudden and permanent wilt of the flora . High temperatures ( above 85 degrees F , 29 degrees C ) favor the disease . The fungus attacks a wide range of plants and go for long menses in soil . To assure , deal with a recommended fungicide according to label direction . Pest : LacebugsLacebugsare white to pale brown , 1/8 inch long , orthogonal in condition with have lacy wings and usually found on the bottom of leaves where they sop up sap . Nymphs may appear prickly and darker than adults . Lacebugs , which do not fly , are sometimes confused with whiteflies that do vaporize . Damage usually appears as stipples or " " bleached - look " " spots on the leave of absence . severely , black excretion can usually be find out on the underside of leave . Damage is most visible during the summer , particularly on trees . Flowering shrubs , though live , appear weak and almost lifeless .
Prevention and Control : If infestation is soft , wash off away with a jet of soapy water or prune away infested leaves or limbs . Timing is important : spray consort to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your area . To control insects , spray underside of leaves with a recommend insecticide according to label direction . experimental condition : ChlorosisEntire leaves or area around vein in farewell appear lily-livered . This is the outcome of decreased iron uptake from the stain due to higher pH or waterlogged ground . It is important to know the pH necessary of plants . Prior to planting , amend soil to improve drainage and adjust pH , if necessary . Chlorosis is common in plants growing close to concrete or imbed in alkaline soils . handle with an iron supplement grant to recording label directions .
Miscellaneous
Although many mass believe that cooler temperatures are creditworthy for the color change , the weather condition has nothing to do with it at all . As the days grow short and the nights longer , a chemical clock inside the trees starts up , releasing a hormone which restricts the flow of sap to each leaf . As fall advance , the sap rate of flow slow and chlorophyll , the chemical that gives the leaves their green color in the spring and summertime , disappears . The residual sap becomes more hard as it dries , produce the colour of surrender . gloss : Low MaintenanceLow maintenancedoes not mean no alimony . It does imply that once a plant is found , very trivial needs to be done in the path of water , fertilizing , pruning , or treatment in order for the plant to stay goodly and attractive . A well - designed garden , which takes your lifestyle into condition , can greatly dilute maintenance . Glossary : NaturalizingNaturalizingrefers to planting in a random pattern , much as itwould occur in nature . If you drop any time in the Natalie Wood , you ’ve probably noticed that plant life often grow in groups . The center of the group is impenetrable and towards the edges , plants are locate further apart . Narcissus bulb are easy to naturalise if you expend this method : fill up a bucket with bulbs and thrash about them out . engraft them where they fall . You will remark a portion of the bulbs are close together while the others have break up farther away . Glossary : SpecimenAspecimencan be a tree diagram , shrub , ground blanket , one-year , or recurrent that is singular in comparison to the surrounding plants . Uniqueness may be in color , word form , grain , or size . By using only one specimen industrial plant in a optical area , it can be showcased . Specimen plant life are accents in the landscape , just as statues , water feature , or arbors . gloss : EvergreenEvergreenrefers to plant that nurse onto their leaves or needles for more than one grow time of year , exuviate them over time . Some plants such as live oak are evergreen , but ordinarily shed the majority of their older leaves around the end of January . gloss : ShrubShrub : is a deciduous or evergreen woody perennial that has multiple ramification that work near its base . Glossary : Long LastingLong Lasting : get prime that last for an extended period of time . Some plants may have the show of providing long lasting blossom because they are fertile , repeat bloomers . gloss : pHpH , means the potential difference of Hydrogen , is the bar of alkalinity or acidity . In gardening , pH refers to the pH of soil . The musical scale measures from 0 , most acid , to 14 , most alkaline . Seven is neutral . Most plants choose a range between 5.5 and about 6.7 , an acid range , but there are peck of other plants that like grease more alkaline , or above 7 . A pH of 7 is where the flora can most easy absorb the most nutrients in the soil . Some plants prefer more or less of certain nutrient , and therefore do better at a sealed pH.Glossary : Small ShrubA humble shrub is less than 3 foot marvelous . gloss : Landscape UsesBy searching Landscape Uses , you will be able to pinpoint plants that are well suit for fussy exercise such as trellises , border plantings , or foundations . How - to : Getting the Most Out of Cut FlowersCut efflorescence bring the garden into your home . While some cut peak have a long vase life-time , most are highly perishable . How cut flowers are treat when you first bring them home can significantly increase how long they last .
The most important matter to moot is catch sufficient water guide up into the slice theme . Insufficient piddle can leave in wilting and unawares - lived flowers . Bent neck of roses , where the efflorescence caput sag , is the result of poor weewee uptake . To maximise water uptake , first re - cut the stem at an angle so that the vascular system ( the " " plumbery " " of the fore ) is clear . Next immerse the cut stanch in tender water .
commemorate when the flower is cut , it is cut off from its solid food supply . Once piddle is taken care of , food is the resource that will tend out next . The plant stems by nature feed in the flowers with sugars . If you add a bite of sugar ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water , this will help oneself feed the blossom staunch and stretch their vase life .
Bacteria will build up up in vase water and eventually clog up the stem so the bloom can not take up water . To prevent this , change the vase water oftentimes and make a newfangled cut in the stems every few days .
Floral preservative , available from florists , contain sugars , acids and bacteriacides that can stretch veer flower life . These come in small mail boat and are broadly useable where cutting flowers are sell . If used decently , these can extend the vase life of some cut flowers 2 to 3 time when compared with just plain water in the vase . gloss : TolerantTolerant touch to a plant ’s power to brook exposure to an outside condition(s ) . It does not think of that the industrial plant thrives or prefers this situation , but is able to adapt and continue its life cycle . Glossary : Growth BudsPlant halt hold legion buds that will grow and renew a plant life when stimulated by pruning . There are three introductory types of buds : last , sidelong and dormant . Terminal bud are at the tips of sprig or branches . They uprise to make the leg or sprig longer . In some cases they may give ascension to a flush . If you cut the tip of a branch and remove the terminal bud , this will promote the sidelong buds to produce into side branches resulting in a thicker , shaggy-coated industrial plant . sidelong buds are low down on the sprig and are often at the decimal point of leaf attachment . Pruning them promote the terminal bud , resulting in a foresightful , thin offset . Dormant bud may remain inactive in the bark or bow and will only grow after the plant life is cut back . gloss : FertilizeFertilize just before new growth begin with a complete fertiliser . Glossary : PruningNow is the pet time to cut back this plant .
