Beneath a canopy of sun-filtering trees, this rhododendron hybrid azalea ‘Red Ruffle’ is a pretty, repeat blooming, evergreen dwarf plant that grows 2 feet tall by 3 feet in diameter in well-amended, humus-rich soil. The groundcover ‘Blue Pacific’ juniper shades the soil and shallow azalea root system and prevents erosion from torrential summer rains.
Old fashioned tall rhododendron hybrid azaleas at a home in Rainbow Springs Country Club subdivision in Dunnellon need pruning after all flowering stops in spring. Cut no more than a third of the larger stems at ground level to thin old wood. Azaleas bloom on new wood only. The semi-deciduous tree canopy, here mostly Laurel Oaks, allows winter and spring sunlight to penetrate but shields the azaleas leaves from Florida’s hot, burning summer sun and the soil from seasonal torrential rains.
Before planting this patented hybrid Encore Azalea named ‘Autumn Carnation,’ Dunnellon homeowner Michael Quinn amended the planting bed with organic (meaning carbon-based) humus called finely milled mulch from Central Landfill. Citrus County makes and offers fine mulch for free and will load pickup trucks or trailers at specific hours. Drivers must cover their loads before leaving Central Landfill.
This Encore Azalea named ‘Autumn Angel’ is one of 31 patented cultivars developed by Louisiana plant breeder Robert E. “Buddy” Lee. In Jane’s garden, planting beds needed tons of decaying finely milled mulch to amend the well-drained sandy soils before azaleas could be planted. After spring, flowering stops, and again in the late fall, large pots of fresh fine mulch are sprinkled around the plant root zone rather than using artificial or chemical fertilizers. ‘Autumn Angel’ matures about 3 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter and never needs pruning maintenance.
The patented rhododendron hybrid azalea ‘Autumn Carnation’ is a favorite in Jane’s garden. The clear pink flowers are double and ruffled in terminal clusters on new stems. Tip pruning the new green shoots immediately after flowering stops by early April will induce the growth of many more shoots and subsequently many more flowers.
Louisiana plant breeder Buddy Lee’s patented hybrid azalea ‘Autumn Lilac’ has masses of bright, lilac-colored flowers for months at a time from September to March in Jane’s garden in Zone 8b–9a in central Florida’s high pine sandhills. The soil was well-amended before planting. The surrounding root zone is occasionally covered with less than an inch of freshly milled humus mulch Jane collects from Central Landfill on State Road 44 east of Lecanto. No longer owning a pickup truck, Jane rakes the organic humus into No. 7 14-inch diameter nursery pots and loads them into her hybrid compact SUV. She can haul up to 40 pots at a time in her car.
Maturing at about 5 feet tall and of similar spread, this patented azalea named ‘Autumn Sangria’ starts flowering in late August and continues until March. A hard winter freeze will kill flower petals, but new flowers will develop from buds protected amid the hardy evergreen foliage. In Jane’s garden, no plants are covered during freezes; however, the overhead tree canopy deters frost settling and the natural layer of leaf litter insulates the ground and azalea roots from freezing.
Encore azaleas at sunrise alongside a sandy path at Jane’s garden in the sandhills of Central Florida. The bicolored shrub is ‘Autumn Twist’ and the purple one is ‘Autumn Royalty.’ Both mature at 5 feet tall witha a 5 foot spread and flower from late August until spring, except when flowers are killed by a hard freeze. They flower again as new flower buds develop and open after a killing freeze. Evergreen leaves are frost-hardy in Central Florida.
‘Autumn Royalty’ is a rich shade of purple that complements the colors of other azaleas planted 5 to 6 feet away. These azaleas mature about 5 by 5 feet (tall and spread), so will almost touch each other in time. They are understory flowering plants in an evergreen privacy screen flanking a sandy path through Jane’s garden.
Hybrid azalea ‘Autumn Belle’ matures about 3 feet tall and of similar diameter in the shade on the north side of Jane’s home. Flowers are light pink with darker striping and throats.
Repeat-blooming hybrid ‘Autumn Twist’ has flowers of two different colors on the same plant. Some flowers are pale lilac color with darker throats and bicolored petals. Other flowers are darker royal purple. Height and spread at maturity are about 5 feet. Pruning is not necessary but tip pruning shortly after the last blossoms fade will induce more shoots and subsequently more flowers on more new growth next blooming time.
The old-fashioned hybrid azalea ‘Fashion’ flowers two to three times a year in different seasons. It naturally grows about 3 feet tall and some 3 to 4 feet in diameter without pruning. Although generally less expensive than an Encore, ‘Fashion’ has far fewer flowers, a much shorter flowering period and does not bloom nearly as repeatedly as does an Encore.
In Central Florida new azalea stems and leaves grow at the end of March and in early April. Although Encores need no pruning, all azaleas can have the tips removed, leaving two or three sets of leaf nodes below the cuts. These leaf nodes will respond by growing a whorl of new shoots that will flower next season. As azaleas bloom on new growth, more new shoots mean more flowers.
Sandland, based in Holder, special delivered a large 33 cubic yard load of fresh, finely milled organic mulch from Central Landfill to Jane’s garden in Marion County. Marion County has no open and usable landfill site, only transfer stations, and does not recycle natural yard waste for its citizens. The priceless “fine mulch” is actively decomposing, so is hot to the touch. Once spread out about an inch or two deep, the decomposition rate will slow and the decaying humus will lose heat and its natural smell. Natural humus is full of microorganisms necessary to build healthy soil for plants to grow in.
A Pine Ridge homeowner got a 6.25 cubic yard load of fine mulch delivered and dropped on their driveway. Citrus County will load private pickup trucks and trailers for free between 9 and 10 a.m. Tuesday to Friday and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The finely milled mulch is made from organic, carbon-based yard waste materials which users pay to dump at Central Landfill. After the yard waste has dried and died, it is coarsely milled and allowed to decay for months before it is finely milled and available to homeowners and the public. Weed seeds are cooked to death in the hot decomposition process. Few seeds can escape being cooked.
Beneath a canopy of sun-filtering trees, this rhododendron hybrid azalea ‘Red Ruffle’ is a pretty, repeat blooming, evergreen dwarf plant that grows 2 feet tall by 3 feet in diameter in well-amended, humus-rich soil. The groundcover ‘Blue Pacific’ juniper shades the soil and shallow azalea root system and prevents erosion from torrential summer rains.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Old fashioned tall rhododendron hybrid azaleas at a home in Rainbow Springs Country Club subdivision in Dunnellon need pruning after all flowering stops in spring. Cut no more than a third of the larger stems at ground level to thin old wood. Azaleas bloom on new wood only. The semi-deciduous tree canopy, here mostly Laurel Oaks, allows winter and spring sunlight to penetrate but shields the azaleas leaves from Florida’s hot, burning summer sun and the soil from seasonal torrential rains.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Before planting this patented hybrid Encore Azalea named ‘Autumn Carnation,’ Dunnellon homeowner Michael Quinn amended the planting bed with organic (meaning carbon-based) humus called finely milled mulch from Central Landfill. Citrus County makes and offers fine mulch for free and will load pickup trucks or trailers at specific hours. Drivers must cover their loads before leaving Central Landfill.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
This Encore Azalea named ‘Autumn Angel’ is one of 31 patented cultivars developed by Louisiana plant breeder Robert E. “Buddy” Lee. In Jane’s garden, planting beds needed tons of decaying finely milled mulch to amend the well-drained sandy soils before azaleas could be planted. After spring, flowering stops, and again in the late fall, large pots of fresh fine mulch are sprinkled around the plant root zone rather than using artificial or chemical fertilizers. ‘Autumn Angel’ matures about 3 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter and never needs pruning maintenance.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
The patented rhododendron hybrid azalea ‘Autumn Carnation’ is a favorite in Jane’s garden. The clear pink flowers are double and ruffled in terminal clusters on new stems. Tip pruning the new green shoots immediately after flowering stops by early April will induce the growth of many more shoots and subsequently many more flowers.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Louisiana plant breeder Buddy Lee’s patented hybrid azalea ‘Autumn Lilac’ has masses of bright, lilac-colored flowers for months at a time from September to March in Jane’s garden in Zone 8b–9a in central Florida’s high pine sandhills. The soil was well-amended before planting. The surrounding root zone is occasionally covered with less than an inch of freshly milled humus mulch Jane collects from Central Landfill on State Road 44 east of Lecanto. No longer owning a pickup truck, Jane rakes the organic humus into No. 7 14-inch diameter nursery pots and loads them into her hybrid compact SUV. She can haul up to 40 pots at a time in her car.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Maturing at about 5 feet tall and of similar spread, this patented azalea named ‘Autumn Sangria’ starts flowering in late August and continues until March. A hard winter freeze will kill flower petals, but new flowers will develop from buds protected amid the hardy evergreen foliage. In Jane’s garden, no plants are covered during freezes; however, the overhead tree canopy deters frost settling and the natural layer of leaf litter insulates the ground and azalea roots from freezing.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Encore azaleas at sunrise alongside a sandy path at Jane’s garden in the sandhills of Central Florida. The bicolored shrub is ‘Autumn Twist’ and the purple one is ‘Autumn Royalty.’ Both mature at 5 feet tall witha a 5 foot spread and flower from late August until spring, except when flowers are killed by a hard freeze. They flower again as new flower buds develop and open after a killing freeze. Evergreen leaves are frost-hardy in Central Florida.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
‘Autumn Royalty’ is a rich shade of purple that complements the colors of other azaleas planted 5 to 6 feet away. These azaleas mature about 5 by 5 feet (tall and spread), so will almost touch each other in time. They are understory flowering plants in an evergreen privacy screen flanking a sandy path through Jane’s garden.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Hybrid azalea ‘Autumn Belle’ matures about 3 feet tall and of similar diameter in the shade on the north side of Jane’s home. Flowers are light pink with darker striping and throats.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Repeat-blooming hybrid ‘Autumn Twist’ has flowers of two different colors on the same plant. Some flowers are pale lilac color with darker throats and bicolored petals. Other flowers are darker royal purple. Height and spread at maturity are about 5 feet. Pruning is not necessary but tip pruning shortly after the last blossoms fade will induce more shoots and subsequently more flowers on more new growth next blooming time.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
The old-fashioned hybrid azalea ‘Fashion’ flowers two to three times a year in different seasons. It naturally grows about 3 feet tall and some 3 to 4 feet in diameter without pruning. Although generally less expensive than an Encore, ‘Fashion’ has far fewer flowers, a much shorter flowering period and does not bloom nearly as repeatedly as does an Encore.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
In Central Florida new azalea stems and leaves grow at the end of March and in early April. Although Encores need no pruning, all azaleas can have the tips removed, leaving two or three sets of leaf nodes below the cuts. These leaf nodes will respond by growing a whorl of new shoots that will flower next season. As azaleas bloom on new growth, more new shoots mean more flowers.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Sandland, based in Holder, special delivered a large 33 cubic yard load of fresh, finely milled organic mulch from Central Landfill to Jane’s garden in Marion County. Marion County has no open and usable landfill site, only transfer stations, and does not recycle natural yard waste for its citizens. The priceless “fine mulch” is actively decomposing, so is hot to the touch. Once spread out about an inch or two deep, the decomposition rate will slow and the decaying humus will lose heat and its natural smell. Natural humus is full of microorganisms necessary to build healthy soil for plants to grow in.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
A Pine Ridge homeowner got a 6.25 cubic yard load of fine mulch delivered and dropped on their driveway. Citrus County will load private pickup trucks and trailers for free between 9 and 10 a.m. Tuesday to Friday and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The finely milled mulch is made from organic, carbon-based yard waste materials which users pay to dump at Central Landfill. After the yard waste has dried and died, it is coarsely milled and allowed to decay for months before it is finely milled and available to homeowners and the public. Weed seeds are cooked to death in the hot decomposition process. Few seeds can escape being cooked.
Azaleas are among some 1,024 woody species of heath plants in the Rhododendron genus of the Family Ericaceae. Rhododendron origins date to about 70 million years ago, but species distribution has been reduced, isolated and affected by ice ages, continental drift, evolution of grasslands and deserts, climate change and, most recently, human factors. Gardeners consider rhododendrons to be taller shrubs and small trees with large leathery evergreen leaves. The azalea group of rhododendrons contains smaller shrubs with small thin leaves that are often deciduous. Bigger rhododendrons usually have larger flowers with 10 stamens while most smaller azalea flowers have five stamens.
Most rhododendron species originated in Asia, where new-to-science species are still being identified. North America now has about 26 native species of rhododendrons — all from sheltered montane forest regions, including the Appalachian Mountain chain, the Pacific Northwest and California. Rhododendron is the state flower of Washington and West Virginia; state tree of Sikim and Uttarakhand in northern India; provincial flower of Jiangxi in China; and the national flower of Nepal.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.