Azaleas are rhododendrons, adapted to room conditions, belonging to the heather family. These amazingly beautiful flowers, in natural conditions, grow in mountain forests in the cool conditions of the northern hemisphere. Among them there are both deciduous and evergreen shrubs or low trees. For indoor cultivation, Japanese azalea and Indian azalea are best suited, with the latter being more preferred.
Indian azalea or Sims rhododendron is an evergreen shrub reaching a height of 50 cm. On young shoots there are usually flat bristly hairs of bright red or chestnut-brown color. On short-leaved small leaves, reddish hairs on the lower light green side are also noticeable, the upper leathery surface is painted in a dark green tone. When flowering occurs, all buds open simultaneously. Inflorescences of double or non-double flowers, funnel-shaped in shape, wide, reaching a diameter of 3 to 5 centimeters, have a diverse color, ranging from white to purple-red. Azaleas with bicolor flowers are quite common.
Distinctive features of Japanese azalea, which is not so popular in indoor floriculture, are smaller flowers (up to 3 cm) and the fact that after flowering this shrub can be planted in the front garden. He successfully tolerates frosts up to 20 degrees. Otherwise, Japanese azalea has the same structure and coloring of flowers and leaves as Indian.
Azalea flowers, care for them
It should be noted right away that azaleas are rather capricious plants and require certain conditions for successful cultivation. Otherwise, a delightful flower bought or donated runs the risk of being in the bin, because very often when acceptable conditions are not created, immediately after flowering it loses its leaves and dies. Therefore, it is necessary to create suitable conditions so that the azalea flowers delight the eyes for many years. Plant care consists, first of all, in observing the optimal temperature regime.
Azalea does not tolerate heat, the temperature that does not exceed 18 ° C is considered to be the most comfortable for the plant, even better - from 10 to 15 degrees. The best place for azaleas is a warmed loggia. As long as the positive temperature is kept up to 5 degrees, the plant can safely be kept in such conditions. Just at this time, flower buds are laid, tentatively, from October to December. Azalea flowers, the care of which with the onset of severe frosts consists in moving the plant into the room and placing it on a window facing north or west, do not tolerate hot dry air in the room. The temperature should not exceed 13-16º, which stimulates further abundant flowering. In the case when the azalea blooms, and it is possible to slightly reduce the temperature, flowering will be long. Experienced gardeners resort to various tricks: sprayed with cold water, organize watering with cold melt water, even put ice on the edges of the pot. If during flowering the room has hot and dry air - flowering is either very short or may not come at all - the buds simply fall off.
Azalea flowers, care for which includes the selection of the most suitable place, which will provide sufficiently bright lighting, do not like direct sunlight.
During irrigation, distilled, melt or rain water is used, in extreme cases, well-maintained tap water or boiled water. To maintain the necessary acidity of the soil, it is recommended that watering of azaleas be acidified with water (1 teaspoon of citric acid dissolved in two liters of water) approximately twice a month.
How to breed azalea?
The most acceptable way to propagate azaleas, giving more or less positive results (which, however, takes a long time to wait), is to use semi-lignified cuttings for rooting. In addition to this method, professional flower growers propagate azaleas with seeds, but this is a very complex and rather laborious process. They also divide the bush and use the vaccination method. Consider the most common method of reproduction - cuttings.
- In the period from May to August, not completely woody, but not quite green cuttings from 5 to 8 cm long are cut;
- Prepare a substrate for rooting. Sphagnum moss or coniferous land that have an acid reaction is ideal;
- Cuttings are not deeply buried in the soil (2-5 cm) and covered with plastic wrap or glass on top, and do not forget to regularly water and spray;
- At a temperature within 25º, cuttings root in 3-5 weeks. However, there are cases when the roots have to wait about six months.
To achieve the best effect, so that azalea blooms lushly - pruning and pinching are the most effective ways, due to which a large number of flower buds are tied, and the plant begins to shrink intensely. Perform such procedures as soon as the azalea has finished blooming. All single flowers are harvested and, from May to mid-summer, regularly pinch and prune young shoots. Since the buds are formed at the tips of young shoots - the more they form, the more flowering will be. And the more beautiful your beautiful azalea will be - the flower of female happiness.