The 'Red Bird' azalea is an evergreen, prized for it's flowers that bloom in spring-mid summer, can be grown as either decorative shrub or flowering tree.
While technically a Rhododendron, with roots in China & Japan, some sources say that the Azalea was developed specifically for cold regions, such as North America & some Azalea cultivars are deciduous.
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| April 2026 |
The Red Bird is hardy(USDA zones: 5-9), "greedy" when it comes to fertilization & picky about it's environment..they need rich, well-drained soil, preferably on the acid side (pH 4.5-6) and will not do well in direct sun..think "understory" tree, like a Japanese Maple. Azaleas and rhododendrons are often confused because an azalea is always a rhododendron, but a rhododendron is not necessarily an azalea. All plants commonly known as "azaleas" or "rhododendrons" belong to the genus Rhododendron, which has eight subgenera comprising nearly 1,000 species and 20,000 hybrids. Azaleas are found in two of these subgenera.
Acquisition: April 2026; Home & Garden Center: Price: $6.00 (1/2 off sale)
This isn't my first "rodeo" with an Azealea..before I started this blog, I had a short, but bittersweet experience with this cultivar, with which I did everything wrong..I put the plant in full sun, used the wrong fertilizer, never checked the pH & did not prune in early spring..he bloomed only once & then slowly wasted away.
Losing that plant left a bad taste in my mouth, but when I stumbled into the 2-for-1 sale, I couldn't resist..I think I know exactly how to take care of this plant & the "price was right"
Confident enough that I lightly-pruned him & potted him in a training pot. (as pictured) My intention is to give this little tree some 'benign neglect' until after he's done blooming..then we will have a much better idea about what we might be able to do with him..but for now, I'm just going to enjoy his company & hopefully integrate him into the collection.
Aug 10, 2026
It's been an un-eventful summer for the Azalea..in fact, there has been nothing to talk about until I discovered some discolored leaves w/ brown/blue-black splotches..that discovery led me to taking a closer look & I discovered some whitish powder-like substance on the underside of some of the discolored leaves.
A quick Google search suggested that the brown spots were a fungal infection, possibly caused by the Azalea Lace bug. While the solution for eliminating these insects is pretty easy (spray off with water), the literature calls for the use of potassium bicarbonate to fend-off & heal damage that may have occurred.
Reading further, I discovered that although the Azalea can be considered an "under-story" tree, it is susceptible to fungal diseases if the location of the plant is exclusively in shadow, with little air circulation &, the nemesis of all container plants, overwatering.
Yesterday, I pruned every leaf with discoloration & buds that were encroaching on neighbors in such a way as to block the sun & have re-located him to get some direct sun & increased airflow. Going forward, my strategy will be close observation & finding a spot for him that suits this plants requirements.
Yes, azalea's are finicky & can be difficult to live with, but the rewards are great if you can persuade them to "go with the program'.
