Rhododendron at home: how to grow and care for in a pot

Rhododendron, or azalea, can be easily grown at home. Indoor exotic plant feels great in a room with cool air. Azalea needs regular watering, top dressing and loves acidic soil. If the room is too hot and dry, it quickly sheds foliage. With proper care, the azalea stays constantly green and blooms every year.

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Rhododendron is a flowering plant from the Heather family. The name translated from Latin means rosewood. Indoor azaleas also belong to rhododendrons. Although in fact, Azalea is one of the varieties of rhododendrons.The flowers of this plant resemble large roses from a distance.

There are about 600 species of rhododendrons. It is an evergreen or deciduous (semi-deciduous) shrub or tree. The plant can be tall, low, with erect stems or ampel shoots.

This plant has large, bright flowers, collected in lush inflorescences of 3-20 pieces each. Petals are painted in purple, orange, red, pinkish, white. Growing in the garden, rhododendron blooms in spring and blooms for 2-4 weeks. During flowering, the plant emits a delicate aroma, although the tree itself is poisonous. Differs in longevity, can grow up to 50 years.

Big

Evergreen trees. They can grow up to 10 meters in height. The leaves are thin, oblong, dark green, shiny. The length of the leaf is 30 centimeters. Flowers - large, pink or snow-white, in the form of bells, collected in inflorescences of 12-29 pieces.

Gryffitsa

Evergreen shrub with straight branches, growing up to 1.4-3.5 meters. It has oblong, dull green above and yellow-green below, bare leaves (up to 30 centimeters long). White or slightly pinkish flowers are collected in huge loose inflorescences (each with 3-9 flowers). The plant tolerates cool winters of southern latitudes.

Hooker

The plant is named after the English botanist - Hooker, who first described rhododendrons in detail. This is an evergreen shrub (up to 2.9 meters in height), with oblong leaves and large poisonous pink flowers. The flowers are shaped like bells, they are collected in inflorescences of 4-6 pieces each.

Decorative

Tall, evergreen shrub. It has oblong, dark green, smooth leaves up to 22 centimeters long. Loose and lush inflorescences consist of 8-10 snow-white or pinkish flowers. Flowering - from spring to mid-summer.

Pointed

Huge shrubs growing up to 2.9 meters tall. Young stems are pubescent. This plant has small (up to 6 centimeters) greenish leaves with a sharp tip. The flowers are large, snow-white, with five petals.

Indian

A lush shrub that grows up to 2 meters high. The leaves are oblong, shiny, green. They reach a length of 4 centimeters. The flowers are huge, like lilies. The color of the petals is pale lilac or pastel red.

Katewbey

This rhododendron is also called Katevbinsky. It is an evergreen, voluminous-looking shrub. The crown is wide, resembling a huge ellipse. It blooms for almost a whole month (in May-June). The flowers are pale lilac or red-violet, collected in inflorescences of 14-20 pieces each. Winter-hardy and shade-tolerant plant.

Beautiful

Evergreen three-meter shrub. Leaves - medium size, green, shiny, oblong, with a pointed tip. The flowers are collected in lush inflorescences, pale pink or white, with specks on one of the petals. Look like orchids.

Nail-shaped

Tall shrub that sheds leaves. Blooms in early summer. The leaves are small (8 centimeters long), greenish, oblong, similar to cherry. Flowers - coral or orange, with wavy edges, collected in inflorescences.

Pontic

Evergreen three-meter shrub. Leaves - elongated, with a sharp tip, dark green, smooth. The flowers are collected in lush spherical inflorescences. May be lilac or pale pink. Exude a pleasant fragrance.

Sims

Tall shrubs that do not shed their leaves. The leaves are smooth, shiny, greenish, oblong, with a pointed tip. The flowers are large, lily-like. Petals can be coral, pinkish, purple, red. Flowers are simple, as well as terry.

Stupid

Meter or two-meter bushes with evergreen foliage. The plant has green, oblong, pointed upwards leaves. Flowers are collected in lush inflorescences. The petals can be soft purple or deep pink.

Japanese

Deciduous shrub. The crown is strongly branched, wide. In length, the shrub can stretch up to 2 meters. The leaves are oblong, thin, green in summer and orange-purple in autumn. Flowers - bell-shaped, large (8 cm in diameter), orange-red, collected in inflorescences of 6-12 pieces. Flowers appear with the opening of the first leaves. The shrub blooms for about one month. From a distance, a flowering bush resembles a blazing fire.

Varieties for home growing

The apartment grows dwarf, compact shrubs, 15-40 centimeters tall. Standard azaleas are on sale.They have a long straight stem and a lush, green crown strewn with bright flowers. Buy indoor dwarf rhododendrons during the flowering period (December to April). Azaleas are given for Christmas, birthday or Easter.

Snowflake

Azalea with delicate snow-white (pink in the middle) large flowers collected in lush inflorescences. Bush - low, with a spreading crown. Leaves - small, oblong.

Albert-Elizabeth

Plant with large double flowers. Flowers are pale pink or snow-white, with a bright border around the edges of the petals. Look like carnations. Flowering - plentiful, from December to April.

Celestina

Late-blooming azalea with lush coral-colored inflorescences and small oblong leaves. The bush from above is abundantly covered with flowers, because of which the leaves are almost invisible.

Starfish

Compact bush with small dark green leaves. The flowers are white with crimson dots on one of the petals.

Melina

Dwarf undersized shrub. Flowers - crimson, collected in lush inflorescences.

Madame Joly

Low compact shrub with lily-like flowers collected in inflorescences. Flower color - soft pink.

Czardas

The bush blooms in April. Has a cream shade, double, fragrant flowers.

Satan

Tall sprawling shrub. Blooms profusely. The flowers are fiery red with wavy petal edges.

Warbler

Low bush with a lush crown. Flowers - snow-white, collected in inflorescences.

Golden Lights

Medium height bush. Blooms profusely with golden yellow flowers.

Azure

Strongly branched and undersized bush. The flowers are purple, collected in lush inflorescences.

Koichiro Wada

Low, profusely flowering bush. The flowers are snow-white, with crimson dots on one of the petals. Look like orchids.

Features of growing in an apartment

Small dwarf bushes kept in the house. This is a luxurious plant that delights with lush fresh flowers in the winter cold season or early spring. Azalea flowers come in various shades, simple and double, fringed and corrugated.

In the Eastern states, a bonsai is formed from a small flowering bush. Azaleas are often given as a gift at the time of flowering. When buying, pay attention to unblown buds.

Once in a warm apartment, very soon this plant crumbles. Room conditions are not suitable for azaleas. After all, they prefer low temperatures (8-11 degrees Celsius) and high humidity from November to March. In a dry and hot room, azaleas quickly die. True, in greenhouses or in conditions suitable for them, they can live for a long time and bloom for the next season.

The plant blooms from December to April. Prefers bright but diffused light. In summer and spring, the air temperature should be 15-18 degrees. In the autumn-winter dormant period, the temperature is lowered, and watering is reduced. Azaleas are watered regularly. Keep the ground constantly moist.

During flowering, the azalea needs abundant watering. It is desirable to spray the plant once a day, in the heat this procedure is carried out three times. Azaleas are easy to grow and care for. The main thing is to ensure normal temperature conditions and regular watering.

Place of landing in the apartment

Azalea looks great in a single exposure. In the apartment, it can be placed near other indoor ornamental plants. Azalea prefers not too high temperature and high humidity. In no case should an azalea pot be placed on a windowsill, near the battery.

Lighting

Azalea pot should preferably be placed away from direct sunlight. The plant grows well in partial shade. Azalea requires diffused bright light.

Temperature

From late autumn to early spring, it is desirable for the plant to provide a temperature equal to 9-11 degrees Celsius. In summer, the azalea can be taken out into the garden or onto the terrace. True, the rhododendron should always be in partial shade.

Humidity

This is a moisture-loving plant. The soil in the pot should be constantly moist. Azaleas are regularly watered and irrigated with water leaves.

How to choose soil

For rhododendrons, it is best to buy a ready-made substrate: for azaleas or heather.

The soil mixture should be slightly acidic, be sure to contain coniferous soil, peat, sand, nutritional supplements.

1. Option one. For novice gardeners, it is better to buy ready-made soil mixture. The soil for azaleas should contain peat, sand, drainage, mineral additives, biohumus, coniferous and leafy soil.
2. Second option. If desired, you can prepare the soil mixture yourself. It should contain in equal proportions heather, leafy soil, sand, high-moor peat, crushed pine bark. The soil is fertilized with mineral and organic additives. Usually, 5 grams of top dressing is taken per liter of water.
3. Third option. In equal proportions, they take coniferous, leafy soil, sand, peat. Coconut flakes or crushed pine sawdust are added for loosening. Land for azaleas must be disinfected and calcined at high temperatures.

Care

Azalea is a demanding plant. It needs to be looked after regularly. Azalea loves fresh air. It is advisable to constantly ventilate the room in which it is located.

Irrigation

During the flowering period, the azalea is watered daily. Pour a little soft water into the pot and make sure that the earth is well moistened. Once a week, indoor azalea can be placed for a couple of hours in a large bucket filled with warm water. The plant will bloom the following year if the soil is regularly watered after flowering.

Earth in a pot should never dry out. Irrigation liquid should not contain chlorine and lime. It is advisable to use rain water. You can add a little complex fertilizer, citric acid (2 grams per liter) or a tea bag to the liquid.

Feeding

The soil mixtures on which azaleas grow are poor in nutrients. Plants are not fertilized in winter. In the spring, when the twigs begin to grow, complex and nitrogen-containing additives are applied once a week.

Fertilizers should not contain chlorine s alts. In summer, at the time of laying flower buds, azaleas need more phosphorus and potassium. It is better not to feed the plant with nitrogen substances at this time.

For top dressing use purchased fertilizers for azaleas or ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, potassium sulfite. 2 grams of fertilizer are taken per liter of water.

Mulching

Earth in a pot will not dry out if you pour a little mulch on top. The surface is mulched with needles or peat mixed with sawdust.

Spraying

Azalea is suffering from drought. In summer, it can be sprayed several times a day. Cooled water irrigate the leaves on both sides. In winter, the azalea can be sprayed once a day.

Cutting

Sprigs of azalea must be cut. This procedure stimulates the appearance of young branches on which new buds appear.Pruning is carried out in the spring, after flowering. You need to cut the elongated shoots. It is important to thin out the bush. Be sure to remove weak and diseased branches. Azalea will bloom profusely if the bush is not too lush.

Transfer

Once a year, the growing azalea is carefully transplanted into a large container. An adult plant is placed in another pot every 3-4 years.

Time and reasons

Azaleas are transplanted immediately after flowering (closer to summer). The earth is replaced with a new, more nutritious one. The plant is transplanted into a larger pot so that the roots can develop freely, do not tangle, breathe well.

Choose a pot

The new pot should be larger than the old one by 5 centimeters in diameter. The previous container should freely enter the new one. The pot should have a drainage hole at the bottom.

Soil composition

For transplanting azaleas, it is advisable to buy a ready-made soil mixture. You can not use garden soil, as it may not be suitable in composition and be infected with various infections. Azaleas love slightly acidic soil. The earth should be light, loose, permeable.

Constituents of soil mixture for azalea:

• coniferous land;
• peat;
• sand;
• leaf humus;
• pine bark;
• heathy land.

All components are taken in equal proportions. The ingredients must be finely chopped. As a drainage for azaleas, it is convenient to use expanded clay. The soil is fertilized with minerals and biohumus.

How to transplant

Azaleas are transplanted very carefully and carefully, trying not to damage the thin and barely noticeable roots. Use the transfer method. The plant, together with an earthen clod, is carefully transferred from one pot to another. During transplantation, it is impossible to deepen the root collar.

Features of transplantation after purchase

Pour a few small stones into the bottom of the transplant pot for drainage. Then earth is poured on top. Before transplanting, the azalea is watered. An hour later, the pot is turned over, the plant is carefully removed from the container, together with an earthen clod. The azalea is lowered into a new pot and sprinkled with a moistened substrate to the root neck. After transplanting - watered.

Home problems

In case of improper care or due to lack of nutrients in the soil, azalea leaves can wrinkle, darken, turn yellow, fall off. It is important to correctly identify the cause of the problem and correct it immediately.

The leaves have darkened

If the azalea has darkened and the leaves have begun to fall off, it means that it is watered incorrectly. The plant sheds foliage if the room is too hot and dry. It is necessary to reduce the temperature, increase the soil moisture. The earth in the pot should not dry out.

Looks lifeless

If the leaves of the azalea turn yellow, and the plant itself looks lifeless, it means that it lacks nutrients. The earth needs to be fertilized with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. You can use complex fertilizers. Azaleas may turn yellow due to excess lime. It is desirable to water the earth with soft, acidified water.

Winter transport

If in the cold season the plant needs to be transported from one place to another, it is advisable to insulate it well. The flower must not freeze, otherwise it will die.

Leaves wrinkled

If an azalea has wrinkled leaves, it means that it is hot and lacks water. The plant needs to be watered abundantly, irrigate the leaves. Can be immersed in a bucket of water. It is advisable to lower the air temperature (up to 15 degrees).

Diseases and pests: control measures

Indoor azalea can get sick or be attacked by insects. Proper care, preventive treatment with fungicides and insecticidal solutions helps to save the plant.

Chlorosis

Azalea leaves turn yellow if watered with too hard water. Irrigation liquid should be soft, slightly acidified. You can feed the plant with iron chelate. Perhaps chlorosis is caused by improperly selected soil mixture. In this case, the substrate must be changed.

Light blight

Infection first affects the roots of the azalea, and then spreads to other parts of the plant. Dark spots appear on the leaves. For treatment, the fungicide Fitosporin is used.

Necrosis

Leaves may turn yellow and dry if the azaleas are too hot or, conversely, the plant is frozen. You should create optimal conditions for life and water the flower abundantly.

Strawberry mite

A tiny insect that lives in highly moistened soil. Feeds on leaves and buds. Spots appear on the leaves, later they curl, wither and fall off. Treatment with Fitoverm or Neoron will save from the tick.

Spider mite

A small red insect that twines leaves and stems with a thin cobweb. It feeds on plant sap. May cause yellowing and wilting of leaves. Aktellik's solution saves from a tick.

Moth

A gray butterfly that lays eggs that hatch into caterpillars. They feed on leaves. Saves Aktara insecticide from caterpillars.

Mealybug

A tiny light hairy insect that looks like a louse. It feeds on plant sap, which is why azaleas grow poorly. Spraying with insecticides (Aktara, Confidant, Fitoverm) saves him from it.

Rhododendron bug

A tiny dark insect with shiny transparent wings. It feeds on the juice of plants, leads to yellowing and drying of the leaves. Kinmiks, Karbofos, Decis saves from the bug.

Reproduction

Azaleas can be propagated in a variety of ways. For example, seeds, cuttings, dividing the bush, grafting. The easiest way is to immediately buy a finished plant.

How to root cuttings

Cut at an angle of 45 degrees, young, not yet completely lignified branches (8 centimeters long) must be placed in water. Remove lower leaves. It is advisable to cut the cuttings in the spring. You need to add a growth stimulator (Kornevin) to the water.

When roots appear on the handle, it must be planted in a special soil mixture. The cuttings are planted vertically, to a depth of 2 centimeters. Top with a plastic bottle and a dark cloth. Watered regularly, kept at a temperature of 25 degrees. After 2 months, the plant takes root, the bottle is removed, and after 1.5-2 years a young azalea grows.

Vaccination

Azalea stalk can be grafted onto an adult plant in the spring. The scion is cut at an angle of 45 degrees and fastened with a stock. The cutting will take root after 2 weeks if the plant is constantly watered and irrigated.

Sprouting seeds

Seeds are soaked and germinated a little in water before planting. Then they are sown with sand on fertilized soil and irrigated regularly. From above the pot is covered with a film. When the seedlings grow up, they are swooped down and transplanted into separate boxes.

Dividing the bush

In the spring, after the azalea blooms, the bush is taken out of the pot and divided into several parts with a knife. In each part, 1-2 shoots should remain. All segments are planted in separate pots and placed in a dark place for a week.

Poisonousness

Rhododendrons are very insidious. These beautiful plants are dangerous. The nectar and pollen of flowers can be deadly poisonous not only to animals but also to humans. There is a Greek legend according to which soldiers during a military campaign were poisoned by honey collected by bees from Pontic or Yellow rhododendrons.The poisoning was narcotic in nature. Honey from these plants may have a laxative or hallucinogenic effect.

Azaleas are toxic to animals. They can die by eating a few leaves. The danger to humans is the glycoside andromedotoxin contained in rhododendrons. This substance acts on the central nervous system: at first it is exciting, and after a while it is depressing. May cause death in humans. The poisonous substance is present in leaves, stems, flowers, nectar and harvested honey.

How to form a bonsai

Azaleas have been used to form bonsai for several years. With the help of 5-6 pruning, the plant turns into a small tree with a thick trunk and a lush top. In the first years, a trunk is formed from the central stem. Side branches are removed. When the tree reaches the desired height, pinch the top. At the end, a crown is formed.

Reviews

Anna Denisovna:

"I got an azalea for my birthday. I soon noticed that the plant began to wilt. I placed the pot of azalea in a large vase and filled it half way with cold water. The azalea came to life, the water from the outer pot was constantly evaporating, cooling the roots and creating the right microclimate for the plant.”

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