Newbie with questions about dwarf azaleas

18 years ago

Hello,

This is my first post and I am new to gardening. I recently saw some beautiful dwarf azaleas at Home Depot in the following colors: (1) coral, multi-petaled rose looking variety, 2) white variety, 3) and variegated salmon and white flowers. I bought all three and have planted them in a 2.5 foot wide planter which borders along the entire front of my home in increments of 2 feet. (The more I read, the more I realize that I may have a potential disaster on my hands, so I am trying to identify each species) I am in zone 9b, just west of Tampa, Florida. Here are my questions:

1. I have had trouble pinning down the exact species of each plant using only the online descriptions of the many varieties. Can anyone help me identify exactly which species I am working with (or which variety are offered at HD)?

2. Currently, each plant is approximately 1.5 feet tall by 10 inches wide. I'm aiming to form them into a lose hedge inside the planter, but is it going to take at least 10 years for them to mature? I can't identify the species, so I do not even know the max height and width of these plants...or if they are even appropriate for where I live.

Thanks in advance for any help.

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Comments (4)

rhodyman
18 years ago
Sorry but there are literally hundreds of azaleas that fit your description. You didn't even narrow down whether they were evergreen or deciduous. If they were properly when they were called dwarf azaleas, they will probably grow to be no more than 3' tall in 10 years but will not stop growing then, just slow down. If not treated properly with acidic soil, etc. they will actually get smaller in size until they die.
HD gets good plants with good labels. It sound like they lost the labels on your plants. You may go to another HD and see if they have the plants with the labels.

The rose looking azaleas are called double. The variegated azaleas are usually related to Japanese azaleas.
morz8 - Washington Coast
18 years ago
They are blooming now? If so, they are most likely forced florists azaleas, and unless they were named and tagged varieties, you're going to have trouble identifying them.
In most parts of the country, these are sold as long lived bouquets to brighten up a dreary winter or otherwise dark household (indoors).

The good news is, florists type azaleas are probably hardy outdoors in your area, most will do fine planted outdoors here (mild winter Z8) I wish I could help you as to their mature size, but it's just impossible to say.
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orchids41
18 years ago
If these are the plants I see in all the HD and Lowe's stores here in Central Florida, I may be able to help you out. I believe they come from a grower over near Tampa...Hamlin's (?), but I don't know why they label them as "dwarf". The only thing dwarf about them is the size of the pot they're growing in. The variegated coral/white is a variety called 'Dogwood.' The coral is either 'Duc de Rohan' or 'Fashion'. (My 'Fashions' are definitely double , if this is what you mean by "multi-petal rose looking".) I'm not sure about the white one, though. If anyone else can ID it, I'd like to know, myself.
judy
orchids41
18 years ago
for pictures of some of the azaleas in question, check out:

www.hamlin-nursery.com