Rhododendron is a beautiful ornamental woody plant that makes up the most numerous genus of the heather family. This is a deciduous, evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub, on average growing to 2 meters in height, rarely a low tree. In the genus, there are up to 1300 wild species. In gardening, about 600 species and up to 8000 varieties are used. The decoration of this beautiful shrub is not only flowers that are collected in lush inflorescences at the ends of the shoots, but also saturated greens. Flowers can be the most diverse in shape - funnel-shaped, bell-shaped, tubular. The color of flowers, the number of which in the inflorescence reaches 20-30, varies: it can be white, pink, golden yellow, cream yellow, red, dark purple, blue-violet, lavender blue, etc. Against the background of leathery glossy leaves, a branch of a flowering plant looks very beautiful - like a bouquet.
Indoor rhododendron is often called azalea, although in fact, it is the same rhododendron, only the azalea leaves are smaller and thinner and have five stamens in the flowers, while the rhododendron has ten. The plant has a superficial root system and therefore it is better to grow them in wide rather than deep pots and bowls. When planting, it is impossible to deepen the root neck of the plant, it is better to mulch it slightly with decayed oak foliage, rotted needles or small-fraction pine bark. Indoor rhododendron, like all rhododendrons, is a lover of acidic soils. For good growth and well-being, they need a pH value of 4-5. They prefer drained soil rich in humus and potassium.
Some plants require regular pruning. It is produced in May, when the plant fades. At the same time, all diseased, dry and overgrown shoots are removed. Pinch young shoots of azalea, leaving only 4-5 leaves - this contributes to a more magnificent flowering. With a strong thickening of the crown, flowering will not be plentiful. When buds and buds appear, the plant is stepchild, removing extra shoots and leaving only flower buds on the main shoot.
Up to 3 years, it is advisable to transplant a room rhododendron annually. The transplant can be made a month after the plant fades. It is important that the soil under planting is moisture permeable, saturated with nutrients, sufficiently acidic, without chlorine and lime. In summer, the plant will feel great in a shady corner on the balcony or open veranda, without drafts and subject to regular watering. For watering, if possible, you need to use soft (chlorine-free) water. It is advisable to spray the leaves of rhododendrons regularly.
Indoor rhododendron grows very slowly - over 10 years, growth may not exceed 50 cm. This delicate plant is often affected by various types of mushrooms, in which the leaves turn brown and dry out. Azaleas also suffer from spider mites, mealybugs, and azalea aphids. The lack of nutrients is characterized by a change in the color of the leaves (their luster decreases, they become light), flower buds are not planted, and the leaves begin to fall heavily already in August-September.
The rhododendron plant is considered to be thermophilic and exotic, however, many of its species have successfully adapted to survive even in severe snowy winters. Some species of plants need light shelter in winter, such as Fortune's rhododendron, Pontic, carpal, Atlantic, stiff-haired, etc. Without any shelter, short-fruited, tree-like, slaly-leaved, sea-buckthorn, pink, Daurian, Japanese and many others are able to winter.
According to the flowering period, plants are conventionally divided into 2 groups:
- early flowering, in which flowers begin to appear from mid-spring;
- late flowering, beginning to bloom in early summer.
Plants differ in their photophilia. Scattered, soft, but intense light is preferred by rusty, golden, dense, Japanese, yellow, Kamchatka, equally high and Atlantic rhododendrons. Photophilous include rhododendrons of Schlippenbach, Kochi, Albrecht. For shaded areas, it is better to choose shade-tolerant varieties: Daurian, Caucasian, Pontic, sea-buckthorn, Smirnova, holoflora, the largest and Fortune's rhododendron.