Most homeowners are familiar with Azaleas. Hybridized for hundreds of years, these plants burst into color in the spring and paint neighborhoods pink and white for a couple of weeks in May in the Philadelphia area. But did you know that Azalea blooming can extend well beyond spring and that flower color doesn’t have to be limited to bright pinks and whites?
Deciduous Azaleas lose their leaves in the winter but offer varying habits and colors to enhance the landscape. Evergreen species also offer different sizes and colors. If you peruse the Azalea Society of America’s web page, you’ll be amazed at the number of documented cultivars.
I expect by now, I’ve captured your attention and triggered a desire to add some Azaleas to your landscape. While many of the plants I’ve highlighted are difficult to find in the trade, I’m happy to introduce my mid-Atlantic friends to Jim Gears, a local Azalea expert who owns Pennsbury Gardens, a specialty nursery in West Chester, PA. Jim will happily share his inventory and pricing with you and can be reached via email at jimkay2065@gmail.com.
I love my growing Azalea collection and the many months of interest they provide. I have plants that are under a foot tall and some that will become the size of a large shrub or small tree (about 15 feet tall). The variety of colors and forms brings me joy. If you have moist, well-drained, acidic soil and part shade conditions, you have an ideal setting to grow Azaleas and I hope you will do just that. Order. Plant. Enjoy.
Carol, I shop at Jim Gears nursery and am very pleased with his native plant selection. I enjoyed your blog on azaleas.
So glad you have already discovered Jim Gears!