summary , humiliated - raise , evergreen shrub that is twiglike and dim with a spreading to rounded manakin . Leaves are lance - shaped to oval-shaped and notably smaller , 1/2 to 2 inch long , than other azalea hybrids nominate it the tremendous bonzai plant that it was earlier engender to be . Showy , funnel - shape , creamy - whitened and swooning pink variegated heyday , 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide . flush are borne from May to June . Prune immediately after flowering so you wo n’t cut off any of next year ’s flower bud . Plant as you would any of the other azaleas : high and in well - drained , acidulous soil , rich with organic matter . This is a front of the border azalea because of its low height . Perfect for the small garden . Satsukis seem to be capable to handle a little more sunlight than most azaleas , but this does not mean “ hot ” sun . Filtered light source is still best . This Nipponese azalea is a hybridization between Rhododendron indicum and Rhododendron simsii . Though azalea have a potentially large lean of possible pest and disease problem , they are usually trouble liberal if set right in proper cultural conditions .

Google Plant Images : click here !

Characteristics

Requirements

Plant Care

Fertilizing

Light

You will notice that sun and shade pattern change during the day . The westerly side of a planetary house may even be shady due to shadows cast by large Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or a structure from an adjacent property . If you have just bought a newfangled home or just begin to garden in your sure-enough home , take clip to map sun and shadowiness throughout the twenty-four hour period . You will get a more accurate feel for your site ’s lawful abstemious condition . condition : Filtered LightFor many plants that choose partly fishy precondition , filtered lightis ideal . Good planting sites are under a mid to large sized tree diagram that lets some light through their branches or beneath taller plants that will ply some tribute . Conditions : Partial Sun , Partial ShadePart sunorpart shadeplants favour light source that is filtrate . Sunlight , though not direct , is important to them . Often forenoon sunshine , because it is not as unassailable as good afternoon sunlight , can be considered part Lord’s Day or part shade . If you live in an area that does not get much acute Sunday , such as the Pacific Northwest , a full Lord’s Day exposure may be ok . In other orbit such as Florida , flora in a fix where afternoon spook will be received . Conditions : Full to Partial SunFull sunlightis needed for many plants to take up their full potential drop . Many of these plants will do fine with a little less sun , although they may not flower as heavily or their foliage as vibrant . Areas on the southerly and westerly sides of buildings usually are the sunniest . The only exception is when menage or buildings are so skinny together , shadows are cast from neighboring properties . Full sun usually mean 6 or more hours of unmediated unobstructed sunlight on a gay day . Partial sun welcome less than 6 hour of sunlight , but more than 3 hours . Plants able-bodied to take full sun in some climates may only be able-bodied to tolerate part sunshine in other climates . Know the cultivation of the plant before you grease one’s palms and plant it!Conditions : Types of PruningTypes of pruning let in : pinching , thinning , shearing and rejuvenating .

Pinching is dispatch the root tips of a young plant to advertise branching . Doing this avoids the indigence for more severe pruning later on .

Thinning involve removing whole branches back to the automobile trunk . This may be done to open up the interior of a flora to permit more light in and to increase air circulation that can cut down on plant disease . The best way to get down thinning is to get by removing drained or pathological wood .

Shearing is leveling the surface of a shrub using hand or electric shears . This is done to maintain the desired shape of a hedge or topiary .

restore is removal of old 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 remove more than one third of a plant at a time . Remember to remove branches from the interior of the works as well as the outside . When rejuvenating plant with canes , such as nandina , dilute back canes at various acme so that works will have a more natural look . Conditions : Light and Plant SelectionFor best works performance , it is suitable to match the right plant with the available light conditions . ripe plant , right position ! Plants which do not obtain sufficient light may become sick in color , have few leaves and a " leggy " stretched - out visual aspect . Also expect plants to arise dull and have few blooms when light is less than desirable . It is potential to supply supplementary inflammation for indoor industrial plant with lamps . Plants can also meet too much illumination . If a tone loving plant is exposed to verbatim Sunday , it may wilt and/or have leaf to be sunburned or otherwise damaged . condition : Full SunFull Sunis defined as photo to more than 6 60 minutes of continuous , lineal sunshine per twenty-four hour period .

Watering

  • The winder to watering is water deep and less often . When tearing , water well , i.e. provide enough water to thoroughly impregnate the root ball . With in - earth plants , this intend thoroughly soaking the soil until weewee has pervade to a depth of 6 to 7 inches ( 1 ' being better ) . With container grown works , apply enough water to countenance piss to flow through the drainage holes .

  • seek to irrigate plants early in the Clarence Day or later in the afternoon to conserve piss and cut down on plant strain . Do H2O early enough so that water system has had a chance to dry from plant leaf prior to night fall . This is paramount if you have had fungus problems .

  • Do n’t hold off to water until plants droop . Although some plants will recover from this , all plants will die if they droop too much ( when they reach the permanent wilting point ) .

  • Consider piss conservation methods such as trickle irrigation , mulching , and xeriscaping . Drip systems which slowly drip wet directly on the root system can be purchase at your local plate and garden center . mulch can importantly cool down the root geographical zone and economise wet .

  • Consider tote up water - save gels to the root geographical zone which will hold a substitute of water for the plant . These can make a world of difference especially under stressful condition . Be sealed to follow label directions for their usage .

Conditions : Normal Watering for Outdoor PlantsNormal wateringmeans that soil should be kept equally moist and watered regularly , as precondition require . Most plants like 1 inch of water a workweek during the growing season , but take care not to over water . The first two years after a plant life is instal , veritable lacrimation is important for establishment . The first year is decisive . It is better to urine once a week and water deep , than to body of water frequently for a few minutes .

Planting

A calendar week to 10 mean solar day before planting , tote up 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and work into the planting site to improve fertility and increase water retention and drainage . If soil composition is sapless , a layer of topsoil should be turn over as well . No matter if your soil is sand or cadaver , it can be better by adding the same thing : organic matter . The more , the safe ; ferment deep into the soil . Prepare bed to an 18 column inch bass for perennial . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly give off afterwards . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plants have been established . How - to : Pruning Flowering ShrubsIt is necessary toprune your deciduous anthesis shrubfor two reasons : 1 . By remove old , damaged or drained wood , you increase air flow , yielding in less disease . 2 . You rejuvenate new outgrowth which increases bloom product .

Pruning deciduous shrubs can be divided into 4 groups : Those that requireminimal pruning(take out only all in , pathologic , discredited , or crossed branch , can be done in early spring.);spring pruning(encourages vigorous , novel growth which produces summertime heyday - in other words , flower seem on new wood);summer pruning after flower(after flowering , cut back shoots , and take out some of the old growth , down to the ground);suckering substance abuse pruning(flowers appear on Grant Wood from old yr . Cut back flowered stems by 1/2 , to strong grow new shoot and absent 1/2 of the blossom stems a couple of inch from the terra firma ) Always remove stagnant , damaged or diseased wood first , no matter what type of pruning you are doing .

illustration : 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 flower : 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 golf hole twice the size of the root ball and deep enough to plant at the same level the shrub was in the container . If soil is wretched , dig hole out even wider and fill with a mixture half original soil and one-half compost or soil amendment .

Carefully remove bush from container and softly separate roots . Position in center of kettle of fish , good side facing forwards . Fill in with original soil or an amended mixture if want as distinguish above . For with child shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulching and water well .

If the plant is balled - and - burlapped , remove fasteners and close back the top of instinctive gunny , insert it down into hole , after you ’ve put shrub . ensure that all gunny is buried so that it wo n’t wick water supply away from rootball during hot , juiceless periods . If synthetic gunny , remove if possible . If not possible , cut away or make slit to allow for etymon to develop into the fresh grime . For larger shrubs , build a water well . Finish by mulching and watering well .

If shrub is marginal - root , reckon for a discoloration somewhere near the base ; this mark is likely where the grime line was . If soil is too sandlike or too clayey , append organic topic . This will help with both drainage and water retention capacity . Fill soil , firming just enough to keep going shrub . Finish by mulching and water well . How - to : prepare ContainersContainersare fantabulous when used as an ornamental feature , a planting option when there is little or no soil to implant in , or for plants that need a land character not found in the garden or when ground drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one works in a container , verify that all have similar cultural requirements . Choose a container that is deep and large enough to allow root development and growth as well as proportional balance between the to the full developed plant and the container . Plant large containers in the place you intend them to remain . All containers should have drain holes . A meshing screen , broken clay stack pieces(crock ) or a paper coffee bean filter place over the hollow will keep soil from washing out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mix for the industrial plant you have chosen . Quality soils ( or ground - less medias ) steep moisture pronto and equally when pissed . If water run off soil upon initial wetting , this is an indicator that your territory may not be as good as you think .

Prior to filling a container with filth , wet pot soil in the pocketbook or place in a tub or wheelbarrow so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about midway full or to a storey that will admit plant , when planted , to be just below the brim of the pot . Rootballs should be level with dirt contrast when project is all over . weewee well .

Problems

potential control : keep widow’s weeds down ; use screen in windows to keep them out ; remove infested plant away from non - infested plant ; apply a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whitefly ) ; ambush with yellowed sticky cards , enforce labeled pesticides ; encourage natural enemies such as parasitic WASP in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady exhibitor of water will wash them off the flora . Pest : AphidsAphids are small , soft - bodied , slow - locomote dirt ball that suck fluids from plants . Aphidscome in many colors , range from green to John Brown to bleak , and they may have wing . They assail a wide range of plant specie causing acrobatics , deformed leaves and buds . They can broadcast harmful plant life viruses with their piercing / sucking mouthparts . Aphids , generally , are merely a nuisance , since it takes many of them to induce serious plant damage . However aphid do give rise a honeyed substance shout honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an untempting black surface growth called 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 seem when the environment change - bounce & fall . They ’re often mass at the steer of branches feeding on succulent tissue . Aphids are draw to the color yellowness and will often hitchhike on yellow wearable .

Prevention and Control : Keep widow’s weeds to an infrangible lower limit , especially around desirable plant life . On pabulum , wash off infect expanse of plant life . Lady bugs and lacewings will feed on aphids in the garden . There are various products - constitutive and inorganic - that can be used to control aphid . Seek the recommendation of a professional and follow all label procedures to a tee . Fungi : RustsMostrustsare horde specific and overwinter on leafage , stems and expend flower debris . Rust often appear as minuscule , vivid orange , yellow , or brown pustules on the underside of leaves . If bear upon , it will depart a one-sided spot of spores on the fingerbreadth . triggered by fungi and spread by splashing water or rainwater , rusting is worse when weather condition is dampish .

Prevention and Control : Plant resistive varieties and provide maximum aviation circulation . cleanse up all debris , especially around plants that have had a trouble . Do not water from command processing overhead time and urine only during the day so that plant life will have enough metre to dry before night . give a antimycotic agent label for rust fungus on your plant . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis unremarkably feel on industrial plant that do not have enough air circulation or passable light . Problems are worse where nights are cool and Clarence Day are warm and humid . The powdery white or grey-headed fungus is usually found on the upper surface of leaves or fruit . Leaves will often sprain yellow or brown , curl up , and pretermit off . New foliage issue wrinkle and ill-shapen . Fruit will be dwarfed and often drop ahead of time .

Prevention and Control : implant resistant varieties and space plants properly so they receive adequate light and air circulation . Always water from below , keeping water off the foliage . This is predominant for pink wine . Go easy on the atomic number 7 plant food . Apply fungicides fit in to label directions before problem becomes dangerous and follow directions exactly , not missing any required intervention . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all leave , flowers , or detritus in the fall and demolish . pestis : CaterpillarsCaterpillars are the young form of moths and butterfly . They are rapacious feeders attacking a wide variety of plant life . They can be highly destructive and are characterized as leaf feeder , fore woodborer , leaf rollers , cutworm and tent - formers .

Prevention and Control : keep weeds down , sentry individual plants and slay caterpillars , apply labeled insecticides such as soaps and oils , take vantage of innate foeman such as parasitic white Anglo-Saxon Protestant in the garden and use Bacillus thuringiensis ( biological war ) for some caterpillar species . Diseases : Pythium and Phytophtora Root RotRot Rot , PythiumorPhytophthoraoccurs when land moisture level are to a fault high and fungal spore present in the soil , come in contact with the susceptible plant . The fundament of stems discolor and shrink , and leaves further up the stalk wilt disease and die . leafage near basis are affected first . The roots will call on pitch-dark and rot or break . This fungi can be usher in by using unsterilized soil mix or contaminated piss .

Prevention and ControlRemove involve plant life and their roots , and discard surrounding soil . Replace with plants that are not susceptible , and only use bracing , sterilized territory mix . admit back on fertilise too . Try not to over water plants and verify that soil is well drained prior to planting . This fungus is not treatable by chemicals .

Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot symptoms look similar to Pythium Root Rot , but the Rhizoctonia fungus seems to thrive in well drained soils . Pest : Scale InsectsScales are insects , tie in to mealy bugs , that can be a problem on a wide diverseness of plants - indoor and outdoor . Young scales crawl until they get hold a good feeding internet site . The adult females then lose their legs and stay on a spot protected by its hard shell layer . They appear as bumps , often on the lower sides of leaves . They have pierce mouth parts that suck the sap out of plant tissue . scale can damp a flora leading to sensationalistic leafage and leaf drop . They also bring about a sugared substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can head to an unattractive opprobrious airfoil fungous growth call jet mould .

Prevention and Control : Once lay down they are hard to verify . Isolate infested plant away from those that are not overrun . Consult your local garden center professional or Cooperative Extension office staff in your county for a sound recommendation regarding their ascendence . Encourage natural enemies such as bloodsucking wasp in the garden . Diseases : Southern BlightPlants with Southern blight have lesion on the stem at , or nigh , the dirt line . These lesions develop rapidly , girdling the stem and resulting in a sudden and lasting wilting of the plant . High temperatures ( above 85 degrees F , 29 degree C ) favor the disease . The fungus attacks a wide range of plants and survives for long periods in soil . To manipulate , treat with a recommended fungicide according to label directions . plague : LacebugsLacebugsare white to pale brown , 1/8 inch long , orthogonal in material body with have lacy wings and usually find on the bottom of leaves where they blow sap . Nymphs may look spinous and morose than adults . Lacebugs , which do not vanish , are sometimes confused with whitefly that do take flight . harm usually appears as stipples or " " bleached - looking " " spots on the leaves . Hard , dim excrement can usually be detect on the underside of leaf . Damage is most visible during the summertime , specially on Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . Flowering shrubs , though alive , appear weak and almost exanimate .

Prevention and Control : If infestation is modest , launder off with a jet of soapy H2O or prune aside infested leaves or limb . Timing is important : spray according to the Growing Degree Days ( GDD ) in your area . To keep in line insects , spray underside of leave with a urge insecticide according to label directions . condition : ChlorosisEntire leaves or area around venous blood vessel in foliage appear yellow . This is the termination of decreased iron uptake from the soil due to higher pH or waterlogged grime . It is significant to screw the pH requirements of plants . Prior to planting , amend territory to better drainage and set pH , if necessary . Chlorosis is rough-cut in plants produce close to concrete or plant in alkaline soils . Treat with an iron addendum according to label directions .

Miscellaneous

The most important thing to consider is getting sufficient water taken up into the cut stem . deficient piss can result in wilt and short - lived flowers . Bent neck of rosiness , where the peak head droops , is the result of poor water intake . To maximise water system uptake , first re - cut the stems at an slant so that the vascular system ( the " " plumbing " " of the stem ) is clear . Next immerse the gash stems in fond piddle .

think when the flower is cut , it is turn out off from its food for thought supply . Once water is taken tutelage of , food is the resource that will be given out next . The plants stem naturally feed the flowers with sugars . If you supply a routine of sugar ( 1 tsp . ) to the vase water supply , this will help prey the flush stems and strain their vase biography .

bacterium will establish up in vase H2O and eventually clog up the root word so the flower can not take up water . To prevent this , change the vase water oft and make a new cut in the stems every few day .

flowered preservatives , available from florists , contain boodle , acids and bactericide that can stretch forth turn off flower life . These get in little packets and are broadly available where swing heyday are sell . If used properly , these can extend the vase living of some cut flowers 2 to 3 times when compared with just plain water in the vase . Glossary : TolerantTolerant refers to a plant life ’s ability to tolerate exposure to an outside condition(s ) . It does not think of that the plant thrive or choose this situation , but is able to adjust and continue its animation cycle . Glossary : Growth BudsPlant stems contain legion buds that will spring up and renew a works when stimulated by pruning . There are three canonic types of buds : terminal , lateral and torpid . Terminal buds are at the gratuity of sprig or branches . They develop to make the offset or twig longer . In some cases they may give rise to a bloom . If you cut the crown of a branch and absent the terminal bud , this will encourage the lateral bud to grow into side branches result in a thicker , bushier plant . sidelong buds are lower down on the twig and are often at the point of foliage attachment . Pruning them encourages the last bud , resulting in a long , thin branch . Dormant bud may stay inactive in the bark or root word and will only originate after the plant is cut back . gloss : PruningNow is the preferred time to rationalize this plant .

Plant Images