Latin name: Azalea (Rhododendron)
Family: Heathers - Ericaceae
Homeland: China
Cultivation Difficulty: For those with little experience.
Lighting: Bright light
Humidity: High
Description:
Homeland azaleas - India. This evergreen shrub perennial plant with woody stems. All modern varieties are intraspecific and interspecific hybrids. The value of azaleas lies in the fact that it blooms from December to May.
Currently, the term "azalea" botanists use only to refer to one subgenus in the genus Rhododendron. Despite this, in the world horticultural practice since the time of C. Linnaeus, both names have been preserved: azaleas are called deciduous species, and rhododendrons are evergreen.
The main ancestor of the varieties of indoor azaleas is a natural species of Indian rhododendron, or Sims rhododendron, which grows in moist mountain forests in an atmosphere of constant fogs, drizzling rain and relative coolness. Numerous hybrids are obtained from it.
Types and grades of azaleas:
Sims Rhododendron - Rh. simsii Planch.
Evergreen or semi-evergreen, upright, strongly branched shrub (1.5-3 m tall.). Young shoots are densely covered with adherent bright brown or gray hairs. The leaves are lanceolate, elliptically ovate or obovoid, 2.5–3 cm long, with dense pubescence, especially from the bottom. Flowers in the number of 2-6 (rarely 1), almost sessile in the leaf axil. The corolla is widely funnel-shaped, 3.5–5 cm in diameter, from pink-red to dark-red, often with specks. Calyx 0.5 cm long, ciliate along the edge. Homeland - China. It grows in the mountains at an altitude of 2500-3000 m above sea level. m. and above. In culture since 1808
The following Indian azalea varieties deserve attention for growing in rooms.
'Paul Scheme'. Early or medium early variety. The leaves are small, dark green, lanceolate, pubescent. The flowers are semi-double, medium size, salmon color. The petals are entire, the second tier is shorter. The duration of flowering of one flower is 20-25 days. The variety can be grown for forcing the New Year.
'Erie'. Early flowering variety. Bush tall, branched. The leaves are green, lanceolate, pubescent. The flowers are semi-double, large, up to 9 cm in diameter, pale pink, with a white border along the edge of the petals. It blooms from December to March.
'Albert Elizabeth'. The variety is medium early. The leaves are light green, large, shiny, elongated, with pubescence. The flowers are large, double, pale pink, with a bright salmon border at the edges of the petals. The second tier of petals is corrugated. The diameter of the flower reaches 10 cm. The duration of flowering of one flower is about 20 days.
'Verveniana mitterfuh'. Medium early variety. The leaves are not large, greyish-green, oblong-lanceolate, some peaked. Silver pubescence. Flowers of medium size, double and semi-double, carmine-pink with stripes. The edges of the petals are whitish-pink with carmine-pink stripes and spots, wavy, corrugated. The duration of flowering of each flower is about 20 days.
'Contiana'. Late variety, unpretentious. The bush is tall, spreading. Leaves of medium size; grayish green, young silvery. The flowers are large, up to 8 cm in diameter, not double, lilac. It blooms from February to April.
'Esmeralda'. Abundantly blooming late variety. The bush is compact, small. The leaves are small, light green, oblong-ovate, brilliant. The flowers are small, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, non-double, bright pink, lighter at the base, with slightly wavy edges. It blooms from February to April.
'Shnee'. Late variety, unpretentious. Bush high. Green leaves. The flowers are white, large, non-double.
'Adolf Grille'. Medium early variety. The leaves are large, light green, shiny, rounded oval, slightly pubescent. The flowers are large, terry, resemble a mallow flower. Their color is salmon with a terracotta tint. The edges of the petals are wavy. The diameter of the flower is about 8 cm. The duration of flowering of an individual flower is about 30 days.
'Prof. Walther '. Late variety, with a sprawling bush. The leaves are dark green, medium in size, oblong-oval, lanceolate, slightly pubescent. Flowers are non-double-edged with wavy edges, large (up to 10 cm in diameter), bright light pink with dark pink veins on the petals, with a discontinuous white border along their edges. Duration of flowering of one flower is about 25 days.
'Ernst Thiers'. Late variety, with a sprawling bush. The leaves are large, dark green, elongated, pointed. Pubescence uniform. The flowers are large (about 8 cm in diameter), open, the ends of the petals are light crimson-pink, darker along the midrib. Sometimes the halo is two-tier, but its second tier is poorly developed. The duration of flowering of each flower is about 25 days.
Hexe. The most famous medium late variety. The leaves are smooth, collected in the outlet at the ends of the shoots, obovate, pointed. Young leaves are bright green, old - dark green, slightly pubescent. The flowers are small (5-5.8 cm in diameter), bright wine-red. Duration of flowering of an individual flower is about 30 days.
Indian azalea varieties, bred in the Central Republican Botanical Garden of the Ukrainian SSR Academy of Sciences breeder S.N. Prikhodko: 'Kiev Waltz' - with pink and lilac fragrant flowers, 'Suzirya' - with wine and lilac flowers, 'Scarlet Flower' - with bright crimson-pink flowers, 'Impromptu' - with hot pink flowers.
Relatively recently, ampelous and pyramidal forms have been derived. The flowering of plants in winter and early spring makes them especially beloved, although growing out is fraught with certain difficulties.
The following varieties can be grown in the rooms: "Azuma Kagami", "Kattleya", "Khinomaya", "Koho no Mai", "Abner", "Addi Veri", "Adonis" and others.
When purchasing azalea, choose a plant with several already opened flowers and many buds. The rest is in your hands.
The secret of long flowering and preservation of azaleas until next year lies in abundant watering, low temperature and bright light. Faded flowers are promptly removed.,
The main pests are azalea aphid, on the secretions of which soot fungus and red mite reproduce.
In case of insufficient watering, the leaves shrivel and fall off;
a short flowering period indicates dry air;
yellowing of the leaves indicates the presence of clay in the ground or in the water, so you need to water it with soft water;
leaf fall indicates a waterlogging of the soil.
Transplantation of plants older than 3–4 years of age is made every two years immediately after flowering. Rooted compacted loosen peg. Too overgrown roots of old bushes pruned. Transplanted plants are placed in warmer places and pritenyuyut. After 25-30 days, when they take root and start to grow shoots, produce pruning or nip.
Can translate the plant. After flowering, azalea should be turned into an acidic land mixture, which can be made up of coniferous land and peat (2: 1) with the addition of river sand. It is better not to transplant, but to cross over, since the roots of azaleas are very tender. It is better to grow azaleas in wide, low pots, because the root system of this plant is superficial.
Location
Azaleas are light-requiring, deep shade can not tolerate. But do not leave the plants in the bright sun. They are suited to bright rooms with ambient lighting. The temperature most favorable for the development of azaleas is 18–20 ° C. The room should be well ventilated, avoiding drafts. In winter, it is better to keep azaleas in a cool room with a temperature of 12-15 ° C. When the buds appear, the plant is transferred to a room where the temperature is not lower than 18 ° C and the humidity is 70-80%.
Lighting
Bright ambient light.
Watering
From March to September, the azalea is watered every other day, sprayed - once a day, on hot days - twice a day. During flowering requires abundant watering. Sometimes azaleas are put in pallets with gravel, filled with water. In summer, the plant can be taken out on the balcony or in the garden.
Irrigation water should not contain lime and chlorine. Tap water is kept for 24 hours in a pot. During this time, part of the chlorine volatilizes, and lime settles to the bottom.
Air humidity
High. Spray with soft water from March to September, once or twice a day.
Since the autumn watering azaleas reduce, the temperature at this time should be low, 6-8 oC. At this time there is a bookmark flower buds. Two months later, they begin to raise the air temperature to 12-15 ° C. If these conditions are met, the buds will appear in a few weeks. In order to form a large number of buds, plants pinch - remove apical buds. The first time pinch in about 35-40 days, after flowering, when the young shoots begin to grow, the fourth pair of leaves. Early varieties last pinch in mid-July, late - in late July - early August. In August, buds are formed, so later pinching the apical buds can delay flowering.
During flowering azalea is useful to cover with snow or ice.
Feed the azaleas every 2-3 weeks. Fertilizers should not contain chlorine, which is poison to azaleas.
To prevent the leaves from turning yellow and not stretching, starting from May, the plant is fed once a week with a 0.5% iron-ammonia solution: alum (1-2 g per 1 l of water).
Early varieties of azaleas bloom in December - January, later - in February - March. During the flowering period they can not be sprayed.
If possible, the pots with azaleas are carried out in the summer in the front garden, buried in the ground in a partial shade after a 2-3-hour soak in the water of a dried earthy coma with roots. Here they produce pinching, watering, spraying, feeding and, if necessary, measures to combat pests. These plants begin to water normally after 1-2 days.
Plants suffer from drying up a clod of earth with its roots, but it is no less harmful to the roots and its excessive moisture. It is better to water the plants alternately - from the soil surface and from the saucer. Water on the saucer can be within two to three hours, then it is drained.
On hot summer days, the plants are watered twice and sprayed 2-3 times. Peat and coniferous soil, which constitutes the majority of the azalea mixture, dries very quickly.
In winter, the azalea should be watered carefully out of the pan, so as not to overwet the clod of the earth with its roots, as the roots choke and rot from lack of oxygen.
Azaleas are grown in low and wide pots.
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