Group/Class:  Azaleodendron Hybrid

Description:

Vivid purplish-pink blooms with red spots cover this attractive open airy shrub in early to mid spring; ideal when massed in borders, foundation plantings, or low hedging; absolutely must have well-drained, highly acidic and organic soil

Ornamental Features

Ria Hardijzer Azaleodendron is covered in stunning clusters of lightly-scented hot pink trumpet-shaped flowers with lavender overtones and red spots at the ends of the branches from early to mid spring before the leaves. It has dark green foliage with hints of red which emerges coppery-bronze in spring. The small glossy oval leaves turn an outstanding red in the fall, which persists throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Ria Hardijzer Azaleodendron is an open multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Ria Hardijzer Azaleodendron is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Ria Hardijzer Azaleodendron will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. You may want to keep it away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.