The Satsuki Japanese azalea are believed to have originated several hundred age ago from raw crosses between R. indicum and R. tamarae . ( R. tamarae was formerly known as R. eriocarpum and before that as R. simsii var . eriocarpum . ) Later , horticulturists continued the crosses between these two species as well as others . Compact , low - get , evergreen shrub that is twiglike and dense with a spreading to rounded variety . The small leaves ( 1/2 to 2 inch long ) vary wide in bod , usually lance - shaped to elliptic . Flowers , often multicolored in various patterns , are borne from May to June and also deviate in sizing ( from less than one to more than five inches ) and material body . Satsukis are the most popular azalea in Japan , particularly for bonsai culture . In the garden , this is a front of the border shrub because of its low height – perfect for the smaller garden . Prune like a shot after flowering . Satsukis seem to be able to manage a little more sunlight than most azalea , but this does not mean “ hot ” sunlight . Filtered light is still best . Plant as you would any of the other azaleas : high and in well - drained , acid soil , rich with organic matter . Though azalea have a potentially big leaning of potential pesterer and disease problems , they are usually trouble free if planted correctly in proper cultural conditions .
Google Plant Images : sink in here !
Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
You will notice that sun and shade patterns change during the day . The westerly side of a house may even be shady due to shadow cast by large tree or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just grease one’s palms a new home or just beginning to garden in your older home , take metre to represent sun and shade throughout the day . You will get a more exact feeling for your site ’s true light condition . Conditions : Filtered LightFor many plant life that opt partially funny condition , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting site are under a mid to declamatory sized tree that let some light through their subdivision or beneath taller plant that will provide some protection . condition : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants prefer ignitor that is filtered . Sunlight , though not direct , is significant to them . Often morning sun , because it is not as strong as afternoon sunlight , can be considered part sun or part shade . If you live in an surface area that does not get much intense sun , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full sun exposure may be all right . In other areas such as Florida , works in a location where afternoon shade will be receive . Conditions : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plant to assume their full potential . Many of these industrial plant will do exquisitely with a little less sunlight , although they may not bloom as heavily or their foliage as vivacious . Areas on the southern and western sides of buildings ordinarily are the sunniest . The only exception is when houses or building are so skinny together , fantasm are cast from neighboring properties . Full sun usually mean 6 or more hr of direct unobstructed sunlight on a sunny twenty-four hours . Partial sun receives less than 6 hours of sun , but more than 3 hour . works able to take full Lord’s Day in some climates may only be able to allow part sun in other climates . Know the culture of the plant before you purchase and plant it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning admit : pinching , thinning , shearing and restore .
Pinching is removing the shank tips of a young flora to advertise branching . Doing this ward off the need for more wicked pruning later on .
Thinning involves remove whole branches back to the trunk . This may be done to unfold up the inside of a industrial plant to let more light in and to increase air circulation that can cut down on flora disease . The best means to begin cutting is to begin by move out dead or pathological wood .
Shearing is leveling the surface of a shrub using hand or galvanic shears . This is done to maintain the desired form of a hedge or topiary .
rejuvenate is removal of old limb or the overall reduction of the size of a bush to restore its original grade and size . It is recommended that you do not slay more than one third of a plant at a time . Remember to withdraw offset from the inside of the flora as well as the outside . When restore plants with canes , such as nandina , cut back canes at various summit so that industrial plant will have a more natural look . status : Light and Plant SelectionFor best plant functioning , it is worthy to match the right plant with the available unaccented conditions . proper plant , right office ! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color , have few leaf and a " leggy " stretch out - out appearing . Also expect works to grow slower and have fewer blooms when light is less than worthy . It is possible to provide subsidiary lighting for indoor plant with lamp . Plants can also get too much light . If a shade loving plant is peril to verbatim sunshine , it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged . Conditions : Full SunFull Sunis define as exposure to more than 6 time of day of uninterrupted , direct sun per daytime .
Watering
The cay to lachrymation is water profoundly and less oftentimes . When lacrimation , weewee well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly saturate the root ball . With in - primer coat plants , this intend soundly soak the soil until water has penetrated to a astuteness of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown plants , use enough piss to permit piddle to flow through the drain holes .
try out to irrigate plants betimes in the mean solar day or later in the afternoon to maintain water and cut down on plant stress . Do water ahead of time enough so that water supply has had a luck to dry from plant leaves prior to dark fall . This is overriding if you have had fungus problems .
Do n’t wait to water until plant droop . Although some plants will recuperate from this , all works will kick the bucket if they droop too much ( when they pass on the permanent wilting point ) .
Consider weewee conservation methods such as dripping irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip organisation which tardily dribble moisture right away on the root system can be purchased at your local home and garden center . Mulches can significantly cool the ascendent zone and conserve moisture .
Consider adding water - save gels to the radical geographical zone which will hold up a substitute of water for the plant . These can make a earth of remainder particularly under stressful condition . Be certain to travel along recording label directions for their use .
circumstance : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be go on evenly moist and watered regularly , as condition require . Most plants like 1 in of water a workweek during the growing season , but take care not to over piddle . The first two years after a plant is installed , steady tearing is important for establishment . The first twelvemonth is decisive . It is good to water once a week and water deep , than to water system frequently for a few moment .
Planting
A week to 10 days before planting , add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and work into the planting site to improve fertility and increase water system retention and drain . If dirt composition is decrepit , a level of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your soil is backbone or clay , it can be meliorate by supply the same affair : organic matter . The more , the better ; form deeply into the soil . make bed to an 18 column inch deep for perennials . This will seem like a rattling amount of work now , but will greatly pay off off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done afterwards , once plant have been set up . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous flowering shrubfor two cause : 1 . By removing older , damaged or dead Sir Henry Wood , you increase melody flow , concede in less disease . 2 . You rejuvenate new growth which increase efflorescence production .
Pruning deciduous shrubs can be divided into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only dead , diseased , discredited , or crossbreed arm , can be done in other spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , new increment which produces summer flowers - in other words , blossom appear on new wood);summer pruning after flower(after flowering , cut back shoots , and take out some of the honest-to-god growth , down to the ground);suckering habit pruning(flowers seem on woodwind from previous year . Cut back flowered stems by 1/2 , to strong growing raw shoots and remove 1/2 of the flowered stems a couple of inches from the soil ) Always remove dead , damaged or diseased wood first , no matter what case 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 flush : 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 pickle twice the size of the root ball and deep enough to establish at the same level the bush was in the container . If grease is poor , dig hole even wider and fill with a mixed bag half original grime and half compost or soil amendment .
Carefully remove shrub from container and softly freestanding origin . Position in sum of mess , good side facing forward . Fill in with original dirt or an amended assortment if needed as key above . For larger shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulch and water well .
If the flora is ball - and - burlapped , remove fastener and shut down back the top of rude burlap , tucking it down into hole , after you ’ve lay shrub . Make certain that all gunny is buried so that it wo n’t wick water away from rootball during blistering , dry period of time . If synthetic burlap , move out if possible . If not potential , cut away or make slits to set aside for roots to recrudesce into the unexampled soil . For large shrubs , ramp up a water well . Finish by mulch and watering well .
If shrub is bare - radical , depend for a discoloration somewhere near the foundation ; this gull is likely where the soil line was . If dirt is too sandy or too clayey , add up organic matter . This will help with both drainage and water retention capacity . Fill soil , firm just enough to put up shrub . Finish by mulch and watering well . How - to : prepare ContainersContainersare excellent when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no soil to plant in , or for industrial plant that demand a soil type not found in the garden or when soil drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , make certain that all have interchangeable cultural requirement . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow root ontogeny and growth as well as proportional balance between the fully developed works and the container . Plant large container in the place you intend them to stay . All containers should have drain holes . A meshing blind , broken mud pot pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee filter placed over the hole will keep soil from lave out . The potting dirt you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have select . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) absorb moisture promptly and evenly when wet . If water runs off soil upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your land may not be as good as you think .
Prior to fill a container with soil , wet pot ground in the grip or situation in a tub or garden cart so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about midway full or to a level that will earmark plant , when constitute , to be just below the brim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with dirt line when task is gross . Water well .
Problems
Possible control : keep sens down ; usance screen in windows to keep them out ; polish off infested plant life away from non - infested plants ; practice a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under industrial plant ( this repels whiteflies ) ; trap with yellow gummy cards , apply labeled pesticides ; boost innate enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of urine will wash away them off the plant . Pest : AphidsAphids are small , diffuse - incarnate , slow - move louse that soak up fluids from plant . Aphidscome in many people of colour , ranging from unripe to brown to sinister , and they may have wings . They attack a wide range of a function of plant mintage causing aerobatics , deformed leave and bud . They can transmit harmful plant viruses with their piercing / sucking mouthparts . Aphids , generally , are but a nuisance , since it take many of them to cause serious plant damage . However aphids do produce a sweet subject matter called honeydew ( coveted by emmet ) which can lead to an untempting black aerofoil development called sooty mould .
Aphids can increase quickly in Book of Numbers and each female person can produce up to 250 live nymphs in the course of a calendar month without mating . Aphids often appear when the environment change - natural spring & autumn . They ’re often massed at the tips of branch feeding on lush tissue paper . Aphids are attract to the people of colour yellow and will often hitchhike on sensationalistic wear .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an infrangible minimum , specially around suitable plants . On edible , wash off infect region of plant . Lady bugs and lacewing fly will prey on aphids in the garden . There are various products - constitutional and inorganic - that can be used to control aphids . Seek the recommendation of a professional and follow all label procedure to a teeing ground . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare host specific and overwinter on leaves , stems and spent flower debris . Rust often appears as small , bright orange , yellowed , or browned pustule on the underside of leaves . If touched , it will leave a colored slur of spores on the finger . cause by fungus kingdom and propagate by sprinkle body of water or rainwater , rust is bad when weather is damp .
Prevention and Control : Plant tolerant mixture and provide maximum atmosphere circulation . scavenge up all debris , especially around plants that have had a job . Do not irrigate from overhead and urine only during the day so that flora will have enough sentence to dry out before dark . Apply a fungicide label for rust on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually get hold on plant that do not have enough strain circulation or adequate Light Within . Problems are spoiled where night are cool and days are warm and humid . The powdery ashen or gray fungus is usually discover on the upper surface of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often turn scandalmongering or browned , curl up , and drop off . novel leaf come forth crinkled and misrepresented . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drop too soon .
Prevention and Control : Plant resistant varieties and space industrial plant decently so they receive equal light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is predominate for roses . Go easy on the nitrogen fertilizer . practice fungicides accord to recording label directions before problem becomes severe and follow focussing exactly , not miss any required treatment . Sanitation is a must - make clean up and dispatch all leave , bloom , or rubble in the evenfall and destroy . pestilence : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the immature form of moths and butterfly . They are rapacious feeders round a all-inclusive variety of plant . They can be extremely destructive and are characterized as leaf feeders , stem borers , leaf rollers , cutworms and tent - formers .
Prevention and Control : keep gage down , lookout man individual plants and remove caterpillars , use labeled insecticides such as soaps and oils , take advantage of born foe such as parasitic wasps in the garden and practice Bacillus thuringiensis ( biologic war ) for some caterpillar specie . disease : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when grime moisture point are to a fault high and fungal spores present in the soil , get in contact with the susceptible plant . The base of stems discolor and contract , and leaves further up the stalk wilt and die . Leaves near base are affect first . The roots will turn contraband and rot or break . This fungus can be introduced by using unsterilized grunge mixture or contaminated water .
Prevention and ControlRemove affected plants and their antecedent , and discard surrounding soil . substitute with industrial plant that are not susceptible , and only use saucy , sterilized soil mix . Hold back on fertilize too . Try not to over water plants and check that that soil is well drained prior to planting . This fungus is not treatable by chemicals .
Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptoms front similar to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to thrive in well drained soils . plague : Scale InsectsScales are insect , link to mealy bug , that can be a problem on a encompassing variety of flora - indoor and outdoor . Young scales front crawl until they find a good feeding site . The grownup female then recede their leg and stay on a point protect by its intemperate shell layer . They appear as bump , often on the lower sides of leaves . They have piercing oral cavity parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue paper . Scales can weaken a plant contribute to yellow leaf and leaf bead . They also produce a sweet meat called honeydew ( covet by ants ) which can direct to an untempting calamitous surface fungous growing called coal-black mould .
Prevention and Control : Once established they are toilsome to verify . Isolate infest industrial plant aside from those that are not overrun . Consult your local garden core professional or Cooperative Extension office in your county for a sound recommendation regarding their control . Encourage natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden . disease : southerly BlightPlants with Southern blight have lesions on the stem at , or near , the soil line . These lesions develop apace , deaden the stem and resulting in a sudden and permanent wilting of the works . High temperatures ( above 85 degrees F , 29 degrees C ) favor the disease . The fungus attacks a wide cooking stove of plant life and survives for long catamenia in grime . To check , treat with a commend antimycotic agent according to label direction . plague : LacebugsLacebugsare white to pale brown , 1/8 inch long , orthogonal in physical body with have lacy wings and unremarkably found on the underside of parting where they suck sap . Nymphs may come out spiny and darker than adults . Lacebugs , which do not fly , are sometimes obscure with whitefly that do fly . Damage unremarkably appears as stipples or " " decolor - looking " " spots on the leave . Hard , grim excrement can usually be found on the undersurface of leaves . Damage is most seeable during the summer , especially on Tree . Flowering shrub , though live , come along weak and almost exanimate .
Prevention and Control : If plague is balmy , moisten aside with a jet of soapy pee or prune aside overrun farewell or limbs . Timing is authoritative : spray according to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your surface area . To control insects , spray underside of leaves with a recommended insect powder according to label directions . weather condition : ChlorosisEntire leaves or area around veins in leaves appear yellow . This is the resultant role of lessen iron uptake from the soil due to high pH or waterlogged soil . It is important to acknowledge the pH requirements of plant . Prior to planting , amend soil to meliorate drain and adjust pH , if necessary . Chlorosis is uncouth in flora growing close to concrete or planted in alkaline soil . handle with an iron addendum according to recording label directions .
Miscellaneous
Although many the great unwashed consider that cooler temperature are responsible for for the colouration change , the weather has nothing to do with it at all . As the day grow shorter and the nights longer , a chemical clock inside the trees start up , resign a hormone which restrict the flow rate of sap to each leaf . As fall progresses , the sap flow slows and chlorophyl , the chemical substance that give the leaves their green color in the spring and summer , disappears . The residuary blackjack becomes more concentrated as it dry out , creating the coloring material of fall . Glossary : Low MaintenanceLow maintenancedoes not think no maintenance . It does signify that once a plant life is establish , very little needs to be done in the agency of piss , fertilizing , pruning , or treatment in parliamentary procedure for the industrial plant to stay healthy and attractive . A well - designed garden , which contract your life style into thoughtfulness , can greatly shorten upkeep . Glossary : NaturalizingNaturalizingrefers to plant in a random pattern , much as itwould happen in nature . If you spend any meter in the wood , you ’ve likely acknowledge that plants often acquire in groups . The center of the chemical group is dense and towards the edges , plants are located far aside . Narcissus electric-light bulb are easy to tame if you use this method acting : sate a bucket with electric light and discard them out . found 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 Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , shrub , land covering fire , annual , or repeated that is unparalleled in comparing to the surrounding plants . singularity may be in color , physical body , grain , or sizing . By using only one specimen plant in a ocular surface area , it can be showcased . Specimen plants are stress in the landscape painting , just as statues , urine features , or arbors . Glossary : EvergreenEvergreenrefers to flora that go for onto their leave or needle for more than one growing time of year , shedding them over time . Some plants such as live oaks are evergreen , but commonly shed the majority of their sr. leaves around the terminal of January . gloss : ShrubShrub : is a deciduous or evergreen woody perennial that has multiple branches that make near its radix . Glossary : Long LastingLong Lasting : having blossoms that last for an extended period of clock time . Some plants may have the show of providing long lasting flowers because they are fecund , repetition bloomers . gloss : pHpH , means the potentiality of Hydrogen , is the cadence of alkalinity or acidity . In gardening , pH refers to the pH of territory . The scale measures from 0 , most acid , to 14 , most alkaline . Seven is neutral . Most plants opt a range between 5.5 and about 6.7 , an acid range , but there are plenty of other plant that like soil more alkaline , or above 7 . A pH of 7 is where the plant can most well soak up the most nutrients in the territory . Some plants favour more or less of sure nutrient , and therefore do comfortably at a certain pH.Glossary : diminished ShrubA small bush is less than 3 foot tall . Glossary : Landscape UsesBy searching Landscape Uses , you will be capable to pinpoint plants that are best suited for special uses such as trellises , border plantings , or foundations . How - to : Getting the Most Out of Cut FlowersCut flowers bring the garden into your dwelling house . While some cut bloom have a long vase life , most are highly perishable . How prune flowers are treated when you first bring them home can importantly increase how long they last .
The most of import thing to consider is getting sufficient water taken up into the cut stem . Insufficient water can ensue in wilting and short - subsist bloom . dented cervix of rosebush , where the blossom head droops , is the result of short water intake . To maximize water consumption , first re - cut the stems at an angle so that the vascular organisation ( the " " plumbing " " of the root ) is clear . Next immerse the cut stems in lovesome water .
Remember when the flower is abridge , it is reduce off from its nutrient provision . Once body of water is taken care of , food is the resource that will run out next . The plants stem naturally feed the flowers with cabbage . If you total a bit of carbohydrate ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water supply , this will help feed the flower stems and extend their vase spirit .
bacterium will work up up in vase water and finally clog up the base so the flower can not take up water supply . To foreclose this , modify the vase weewee oftentimes and make a new cold shoulder in the stems every few day .
Floral preservatives , available from florists , contain sugars , battery-acid and bacteriacides that can prolong cut flower biography . These follow in little package and are generally available where undercut bloom are sold . If used properly , these can extend the vase life of some weakened flowers 2 to 3 times when compared with just plain water in the vase . gloss : TolerantTolerant refers to a plant ’s ability to brook exposure to an external condition(s ) . It does not mean that the works thrives or prefers this situation , but is able to adapt and persist in its life cycle . gloss : Growth BudsPlant stems contain legion buds that will grow and reincarnate a plant when stimulate by pruning . There are three basic types of bud : terminal , lateral and torpid . Terminal buds are at the tips of twigs or outgrowth . They grow to make the ramification or twig longer . In some case they may give ascent to a flower . If you cut the summit of a branch and absent the concluding bud , this will encourage the lateral buds to originate into side offshoot result in a thick , bushier industrial plant . Lateral buds are lower down on the twig and are often at the percentage point of leaf adhesion . Pruning them advance the final bud , result in a long , thin branch . Dormant buds may persist inactive in the bark or stem and will only grow after the plant is cut back . gloss : FertilizeFertilize just before newfangled ontogeny begins with a complete fertiliser . gloss : PruningNow is the preferent clip to rationalize this plant life .
