Azaleas have dormant growth buds all up and down the length of their stems just under the bark. They should produce new growth from just below wherever you make pruning cut.

But, it's beginning to get a little late for pruning azalea now. They set their blooms for the next Spring in summer; pruning is best done immediately following bloom to make sure you are not going to lose next years flowers.

Normally, while they respond to pruning well, azaleas don't require it other than removing an occasional branch that might spoil the shape, or taking off something damaged or broken. Are you sure you have your azalea in the right location, is there somewhere else in your garden it could grow where it does not need it's growth tightly controlled.

Agree with the above. If a shrub needs constant pruning to control size, it's in the wrong place.

Hi! I won't pretend to be an expert; but I moved into a yard several years back with oodles of azalea's. One day while out working on my other bushes a dear little lady who lived across the street came over and kindly told me to never prune until blooming was over. I have followed that procedure every year with my azalea's, all but one. This one is on the corner of my house and has huge lilac pink blooms. It is almost as tall as the house and has kept a lovely rounded shape. When it blooms it is always covered in blossoms and is so spectacular I don't have the heart to cut it back. All the rest are like the other's said, in places they have to be pruned but shouldn't be there; but they bloom beautifully every year. This year I pruned a little later than I really should have and just hope I didn't affect the bloom cycle for next year. Do any of you have a suggestion for the parts of my large azalea that are shooting off and rooting but still a part of the mother plant? How would I seperate these succesfully?

Rommy, do you mean your azalea has branches that have touched, then rooted to the ground? It called self layering.

When the 'new' plant has developed enough roots to sustain itself, you can cut it free from the parent plant and either pot it for a friend, or plant it elsewhere in your garden, staying with the same rule for nursery grown plants -- don't plant any deeper than they were originally growing.

When the plant has done this itself without your intervention, it's a little bit of guesswork as to when it's ready to be moved. It normally takes 6 months to a year for ground layering azalea. If you do cut one free and lift it, then find not many roots to support it, cut the new plantlet back to reduce it's size while the roots catch up.

thank you all for the info. ijust cut back 2 protruding branches and hope i didn't ruin next years blooms.i'm new to gardening and love it and can't get enough info.