Hundreds of azalea varieties can be grown in Alabama. Unfortunately, many
gardeners try to grow varieties that are not suited to their area and are disappointed
with their results. Variety selection is very important in any section of the
state.
Cold hardiness is a major factor in selecting varieties. Azaleas are very different in the capacity of both plants and flowers to withstand cold injury.
Azalea flower forms are classified as standard or hose-in-hose, and single, semi-double, or double. Flower differences occur between many cultivars, and flowers can differ within a cultivar. The basic flower forms are illustrated in Figure 1.
To avoid confusion in classifying azalea varieties, the more common groups that grow well in the state are described below.
The first Kurume azaleas were brought to the United States from Japan around 1915, causing a wave of popularity of the evergreen azaleas. The Kurume azaleas are called "dwarf" by many Alabama gardeners. This is not completely correct, though, because many varieties grow 4 to 6 feet tall. However, they grow slower and have smaller leaves and flowers than the Southern Indian azaleas.
Most Kurume azaleas are cold hardy and can be grown anywhere in Alabama. You can choose from many colors, including lavender, pink, orange, red, and white. Some varieties produce hose-in-hose blossoms, which have one blossom inside another and give the appearance of double flowers.
- Hinode Giri blooms profusely about midseason. It is a low, rounded, compact plant with red flowers.
- Snow is a very popular variety that produces many white hose-in-hose flowers. The plant is compact and blooms about midseason.
- Coral Bells blooms early and profusely. It has pink hose-in-hose flowers.
- Bridesmaid has big, salmon-pink flowers. It blooms in midseason. This variety is a vigorous grower.
- Christmas Cheer has small, dark green leaves and red hose-in-hose flowers. It blooms in midseason.
- Flame grows fast and blooms early. The plant is upright and the flowers are orange-red.
- Pink Pearl flowers grow in large clusters. They are hose-in-hose and salmon colored. This variety blooms early and is a prolific bloomer.
- Salmon Beauty produces salmon-pink, hose-in-hose flowers with frilled petals. It blooms in midseason.
Other popular Kurume varieties include Appleblossom (light pink), Mauve Beauty (hose-in-hose mauve), Peach Blossom (pale salmon-pink), Vesuvius (salmon-red), and Sherwood Red (orange-red).
Commonly referred to as Indica azaleas, Southern Indian hybrids are noted for their large flowers and leaves and fast rate of growth. They grow well in South Alabama, where they sometimes reach a height of more than 8 feet. In the northern half of Alabama, the flower buds of Indica azaleas are injured more than the other popular hybrids, such as Kurume, Glenn Dale, and Gable. In the mountain areas they are often killed or severely injured, especially when there is a freeze before the plants are completely dormant in late fall.
Belgian hybrids were developed mainly for greenhouse forcing. Their flowers are single, double, or semi-double with frilled petals. There are many colors. They are grown along the coast and in the lower South Alabama counties, but both plants and flowers are usually injured by low temperatures.
Some varieties include Albert-Elizabeth (double white with orange-red edge), Hexe de Saffelaere (hose-in-hose red), Paul Schaeme (double light orange), Triumph (double frilled red), Madame Petrick (double brilliant pink).
Similar to the Belgian Indian hybrids, Rutherford hybrids have striking flowers. Unfortunately, they are also tender and are used mainly for greenhouse forcing. Examples include Alaska (white) and Dorothy Gish (frilled orange-red).
Many authorities believe the dwarf Indica is separate from the Indica azaleas. The best known dwarf Indicas in this country are the Gumpo group, which are excellent landscape plants. They are compact, low growing plants that produce an abundance of small leaves. Large, ruffled flowers bloom in June. The Gumpo variety produces single, white, ruffled flowers up to 3-inches wide. Pink Gumpo produces pale pink flowers with a white edge. Gumpos are a good choice if you want a true dwarf azalea.
Although most Satsuki varieties are not well known in the United States, they are very popular in Japan where they originated. Authorities believe they came from the Japanese species indicum and eriocarpum. Some varieties grow as tall as 5 feet.
Most Satsuki azaleas bloom from mid-May through mid-June in Alabama. Many produce very large, flat flowers, 4- to 5-inches wide. Colors may vary widely, even on individual plants.
Alabama nurseries are beginning to stock Amagasa (red), Bunka (pink), Gunbi (white frilled with red flecks or stripes), Gunrei (pink with rose variegation), Higasa (very large, deep rose-pink), Shinnyo No Tsuki (large, white centers with rose edges), and Eiten (mallow purple).
When the Satsuki azaleas become better known, they will probably be used more by Alabama gardeners. They extend the azalea season and offer blooms past the time of our last frost dates.
Many Gable hybrids were developed by crossing the Korean (Rhododendrum poukhanense and R. kaempferi) azaleas. They are very hardy evergreens, but the winter foliage is usually unattractive. Flower colors include pink, orange, red, purple, and white. Most are singles, but some are semi-double and double. Some are hose-in-hose.
The Gable hybrids are widely used in the Northeast and Midwest, primarily because of their cold hardiness. If you live in one of the colder parts of Alabama, you might seriously consider them when buying plants.
Popular varieties include Rose Greely (hose-in-hose white), Mary Dalton (orange-red), Stewartstonian (red), Carol (hose-in-hose violet-red), Big Joe (red-violet), Herbert (purple), Forest Fire (hose-in-hose red), Purple Splendor (purple), Rosebud (double rose), Cameo (hose-in-hose shell pink), and Corsage (lavender).
The Kaempferi hybrids are hardier than the Kurumes; however, the winter foliage is usually not as attractive. The plants usually grow upright and may reach 9 feet tall.
Popular varieties include Fedora (violet-red), Gretchen (red-violet), Kathleen (rosy red), Carmen (red), Norma (violet-red), Othello (red), Alice (salmon-red), Juliana (deep pink), Mary (violet-red), and Oberon (soft pink).
An extensive breeding program by the USDA at Glenn Dale, Maryland, gave us the Glenn Dale hybrids. There are more than 450 named varieties, and nurseries are producing more as gardeners learn about and request new varieties in this group. It is difficult to describe the Glenn Dales as a group because many parent plants were used to develop them. Many varieties have the vigorous growth characteristic and large flower size of the Southern Indian azalea, plus much greater cold hardiness.
One reason for developing this group was to have more varieties that bloom in mid- and late season. Some varieties bloom early with the Kurumes, and many are midseason bloomers, reaching a peak in late April or early May in central Alabama. Some of the excellent late-flowering varieties do not bloom until early June in the Birmingham area.
It is hard to choose a few Glenn Dales as most outstanding because of the hundreds available. However, some of you may be interested in the ones listed below, grouped by approximate blooming time. Many people enjoy having a succession of blooming azaleas throughout the season rather than one big explosion of color.
Early Season Bloomers
Midseason Bloomers
- Aphrodite (pale rose-pink),
- Beacon (scarlet),
- Boldface (white center with lavender edges), Buccaneer (orange-red),
- Colleen (pink),
- Delilah (begonia rose),
- Fanfare (hose-in-hose pink),
- Glacier (white),
- Joya (rose-pink),
- Mary Margaret (orange-red),
- Suwanee (rose-pink),
- Treasure (white),
- Vespers (white with chartreuse throat),
- Violetta (light mallow purple),
- Ursula (LaFrance pink),
- Arctic(white),
- Alight (orange-pink),
- Copperman (orange-red),
- Delos (rose-pink),
- Evensong (rose-pink),
- Fashion (hose-in-hose begonia rose),
- Fawn (white center with pink edges),
- Grace Freeman (pale pink),
- Greeting (coral-rose),
- Jessica (rose-pink),
- Martha Hitchcock (white with magenta edges),
- Masquerade (white with pink stripes),
- Pinocchio (white with red stripes),
- Radiance (deep rose-pink),
- Seashell (deep rose-pink),
- Swashbuckler (red), and
- Vestal (white).
Late Season Bloomers
Aztec (peach-red), Eros (pink), Louise Dowdle (Tyrian pink), Sagittarius (geranium pink), and Sterling (deep rose-pink).
Developed to be a greenhouse forcing group, the Pericat hybrids may have resulted from crossing Belgian Indian hybrids and Kurume hybrids. The flowers are exceptionally striking with many semi-double and hose-in-hose forms and frilled petals. Some are as cold hardy as the Kurumes; others are less hardy and can be safely used only as far north as the Montgomery area.
Varieties include Flander's Field (red), Fortune (red), Splendor (phlox pink), Dawn (phlox pink), Sensation (violet-red), Sweetheart Supreme (hose-in-hose pink), Hiawatha (hose-in-hose red), Hampton Beauty (rose-pink), China Seas (pink), Pink Pericat (pink), and Pinocchio (double rose).