Azaleas are very diverse and with the large selection of colors there is something for every taste. Here we present the most beautiful types of azaleas for the garden and for the home.
You would also like to care for an azalea in your house or garden, but can't decide? The variety of azalea species and varieties is enormous. In order to make the decision a little easier, we are giving a brief overview here, dividing it into hardy garden azaleas and frost-sensitive indoor azaleas.
Azalea species: The most beautiful garden azaleas
Garden azaleas come in different sizes and colors. Species like Rhododendron molle and Rhododendron luteum lose their foliage in winter, while Rhododendron molle subsp. japonicum is evergreen but is also planted in the garden. In addition, there are numerous varieties in different colors.
- Rhododendron molle: This is the classic garden azalea. Originally from China and Japan, it is also the parent species of many azalea hybrids. Like all garden azaleas, this deciduous shrub is hardy.
- Rhododendron luteum: This Yellow Azalea is also called Pontic Azalea or Azalea pontica. It is a typical garden azalea, which also impresses with a distinctive, sweet floral scent. The actual species flowers yellow, but there are various hybrids with other azaleas, which can also have other colors.
- Rhododendron minore subsp. japonicum: The Japanese azalea, or dwarf azalea, remains rather small and compact. Unlike most other garden azaleas, it retains most of its foliage through winter and also shows pretty fall colors.
- Rhododendron obtusum 'Kermesina': Also available as Japanese azalea 'Kermesina' and impresses with its bright flowers that only last for a short time appears between late May and early June. The flower color of this strain can be bright red or deep pink.
- Knap Hill Azalea: The large-flowered Knap Hill hybrids are also fragrant and can flower in colors from white to pink and red to orange and yellow. Who exactly the parent species of these hybrids are is not finally clarified. Again, there are many different varieties.
- Rhododendron obtusum 'Bloom Champion': What is special about the azalea is its extraordinarily long flowering period. The first flowers come as early as April, the last flowers disappear when the frost sets in. It is evergreen and is offered with different flower colors.
Tip: It is also possible to cultivate the Japanese azalea as a bonsai. However, she then has to stand outside because she doesn't particularly appreciate the warm climate in the apartment.
The best indoor azaleas
The indoor azaleas are usually the varieties of the Indian azalea (Rhododendron simsii). Almost all indoor azaleas go back in this way. There are varieties in white, pink and red, double or single and also two-tone flowers. For the sake of simplicity we have sorted the different varieties by colour.
- Azalea in pink: Indoor azaleas with pink flowers include the varieties 'Aquarell', whose flowers are so light pink that they almost appear white, 'Christine Matton', which features salmon-pink flowers, or 'Dame Melanie', whose flowers appear light pink and are speckled.
- Azalea in white: The 'Angelina' variety impresses with double, white flowers, while 'Sachsenstern' also has white flowers, but produces only single flowers without filling.
- Azalea in red: A red-flowering room azalea, for example, is the 'Alexander' variety,which flowers from January to May. The flowers are not double, just single.
- Azalea in pink: The varieties 'Inga' and 'De Waele's Favorite' have single flowers that shine in pink and are equipped with a white edge. The 'Friedhelm Scherrer Roze' variety also has pink flowers, but the color intensity can vary greatly from specimen to specimen.
- Azalea in Orange: An example of an indoor azalea with orange flowers is the 'Rosalea' variety, which blooms during the cold season.
Tip: Satsuki azaleas are particularly suitable as azalea bonsai. They are a group of cultivars from the species Rhododendron indicum and are mainly cultivated in Japan.
If you have now decided on an azalea, we will tell you how to plant azaleas. Both room azaleas and garden azaleas are discussed.