Growing Azalea Japanese White Lights

Rhododendron is, without exaggeration, a luxurious shrub, loved by gardeners no less than roses, peonies and hydrangeas. Among the huge variety of rhododendrons, you can find plants for every taste: shrubs or small trees, with a heady aroma or subtle, with large flowers or compact. In addition, almost all rhododendrons feel great with little shading. The American White Lights hybrid attracts exotic flower lovers with exceptional winter hardiness and delicate pink and white blooms.

Brief definition

Rhododendron White Lights belongs to the genus of deciduous rhododendrons of the Vereskov family. This series of hybrid varieties is considered super resistant to frost. Homeland is America, Minnesota.

Detailed description

Deciduous shrub, height - 1 - 1.5 m. Stems are direct growing. The crown is sprawling, up to 0.8 - 1 m wide. It blooms in May, and is characterized by repeated flowering in August. The flowers have a sweetish aroma, white, with a golden hue.

On the upper petal is a small yellow pattern. When ripening, the buds are gently raspberry; when blooming, they brighten. The flowers are medium in size, up to 5 cm in diameter, funnel-shaped, petals slightly twisted. The stamens are curved.

Inflorescences are voluminous; they collect up to 10 - 18 flowers. The leaves are green in the spring, in the fall they become dark - bronze. The variety is resistant to cold, buds and branches are able to tolerate large frosts up to - 37 - 42 ° С.

History of occurrence

In 1978, in the arboretum of the University of Minnesota, in North America, the first variety of a special frost-resistant group of rhododendrons Light was bred. Breeding discoveries include more than 20 hybrid varieties that have become popular in domestic floriculture. Variety azalea white lights was bred in 1984.

What is the difference from other rhododendron species?

This variety stands out for its ability to change the color of flowers. In May, the buds are pink, when blooming, the flowers acquire a pearly pink hue, and then the petals turn white.

Reference! Rhododendron White Lights is one of the hardiest varieties from the Hybrid Lights collection. The bushes are able to withstand frosts up to - 40 - 42 ° C without shelter for the winter. A distinctive feature is the double flowering, with good care it can bloom in August.

Subcort

Mandarin Lights

Hybrid deciduous shrub. The variety was bred in 1992. The height of an adult bush reaches 2 - 2.5 m. The crown extends to a width of up to 2 m, rounded. The leaves are large, long, grow up to 10 cm, oblong, sharp at the ends, wedge-shaped at the base.

Reference! In summer, the foliage is saturated olive color, in the fall they become deep burgundy. The flowers are a colorful red - orange hue; there is an orange spot on the central petal.

In shape, the flowers are narrow, bell-shaped, with wavy edges, medium in size, with a diameter of 5 - 6 cm. The root system is superficial.

Read more about Mandarin Lights azaleas here.

Golden

The frost-resistant variety was bred in 1986. Decorative bush grows to 1.5 - 2 m. It blooms from mid-May, belongs to the early varieties. The bush is compact, the form is straight and loose, with age the bush thickens, grows in the hemisphere.

The crown is wide, in diameter reaches 1 - 1.5 m. The leaves are oblong, wide, up to 6 cm, pointed at the ends, 10 cm long.

Attention! The color of the leaves is olive green, in autumn the leaves change color, become a bright burgundy hue.

The stems branch well. The flowers are salmon-orange, funnel-shaped, medium in size, up to 5 cm in diameter. The middle of the flower itself is lighter than the edge of the petals, they have a pink hue. In each inflorescence, up to 8 - 10 flowers are collected.

You can learn more about the Golden Lights azalea in this article.

Rosie

Created by US breeders in 1984. It grows to 1 - 1.5 m in height. The bush is sprawling, branches well, branches are erect. The leaves are oblong, concave, lanceolate, the tips of the leaves are sharp. The leaves are light green with a yellowish tinge. In the fall they become dark burgundy.

The flowers are large, funnel-shaped, up to 6 cm in diameter, wavy petals at the edges.

The color is saturated - pink, with orange spots - interspersed. Inflorescences are dome-shaped, combine 8 flowers each.

You can find more information about Rosie Lights azaleas here.

Bloom

When and how?

Flowering begins in late May - early June. It lasts 2 to 3 weeks, completely covering the bushes with white - pink bell-shaped flowers. The flowers have a sweet aroma.

Care before and after

During the ripening of the buds, the temperature for the White Lights rhododendron is preferably reduced to 12 - 15 ° C. After flowering, new elongated shoots are pruned, can be used for propagation by cuttings.

Important! Old inflorescences are recommended to be cut for the formation of buds for next year. During flowering, you need to shade the bushes from the midday sun. It requires abundant watering and sufficient humidity - 50 - 60%.

What to do if it does not bloom?

Rhododendron White Lights may not bloom if planted in the shadehe needs diffused light. Perhaps the soil is too dry in winter cold, it is necessary to fertilize with special complex fertilizers for azaleas.

Do not forget about the acid balance of the soil, when watering you need to acidify the substrate.

To prolong flowering and the formation of new inflorescences, flower growers recommend using fertilizers with superphosphate.

Use in design

Azalea White Light bushes planted along fencesconstructing spectacular compositions with other decorative and deciduous shrubs - barberry, lilac.

Often, designers use this variety for contrast in compositions with other bright types of flowers in mixed gardens - mixborders. Also, the White Lights variety is in good harmony with coniferous stands.

Step-by-step instructions for growing

Seat selection

Landing sites for the White Lights Rhododendron should be quiet, protected from strong winds and drafts. The variety likes light, but the bright sun can leave burns on the leaves, it is recommended to plant bushes in semi-shady places, near ponds, pines, juniper bushes.

What should be the soil?

Rhododendron White Lights grows well only in acidic, loose, humus-rich soils. The drainage layer during landing is mandatory for breathability.

Soil composition:

• turf land;
• sphagnum peat;
• coarse sand;
• ratio - 1: 3: 1.

Important! Mulching trunks circles. Update mulch - 2 r year.

Landing

White Lights Rhododendron Landing Runs in Early Spring, in March.

Planting procedure:

1. Dig a deep hole 50 cm deep, with a diameter of 60 - 70 cm.
2. At the bottom lay a layer of 15 - 20 cm of drainage base.
3. The root is shallow.
4. Fall asleep with a substrate to the level of the root neck.
5. Mulch the soil around the bush.
6. Form a drain for accumulated water.

A layer of mulch 5-6 cm, it consists of needles, moss, peat, middle pieces of pine bark.

Temperature

Rhododendron White Lights has a high winter hardiness, in winter it is permissible to lower the temperature to 35 - 40 ° C. The optimum growth temperature is -13 - 15 ° C. In the summer heat, spraying the bush is mandatory. The flower does not tolerate drought.

Watering

Japanese Azalea White Lights loves moisture, but stagnation of water leads to waterlogging of the soil, fungal rot of the roots and stem. In summer, watering should be regular - every day 9 l of purified, slightly acidified water will be required on the bush.

In the fall, before frosts, bushes are abundantly watered, then watering is reduced by half. Further, the substrate can be moistened only in dry weather, if necessary.

Top dressing

Fertilize rhododendron White Lights in the spring - nutrient mixtures, compost are added to the trunk circle. Top dressing is applied along with watering, at a distance of 20 - 25 cm from the center of the bush.

Important! Fertilize the soil 2 months before the onset of potash frost - 1 hour. and phosphate fertilizers - 2 hours

Pruning

Rhododendron White Lights is pruned in spring or late fall. Usually, a third of last year's long stems are trimmed. Dry flowers and buds are cut for further laying of buds. Dry leaves from the bushes should also be removed.

Transfer

Rhododendron White Lights adapt well after transplantation. When transplanted, the substrate is slightly compacted. The composition of the substrate must necessarily include coarse sand and acid peat.

When transplanting, position the transplanted bush so that the root neck is 1.5 - 2 cm higher than the soil.

Propagation Features

Rhododendron White Lights are well propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering. Sowing seeds is carried out in April. The process of growing up is long. Grown seedlings bloom only for 5-6 years after planting seeds.

Propagation by cuttings:

1. Cuttings with a length of 6 - 9 cm are cut.
2. Before planting, the cuttings are soaked in a solution of a growth stimulator.
3. Cuttings are planted in a ready-made special substrate for rooting.
4. Seedlings are stored in the cellar, planted next spring.
5. Flowering can be expected in 2 years.

Diseases and Pests

• From the mealybug, rhododendral bug and flies, the treatment of bushes and near-stem sections of the soil with insecticides, for example, phytoerm, will help.
• To get rid of the spider mite will help spraying the leaves with a soap solution.
• Spraying with a solution of kalbofos will help from scutes.
• To get rid of the weevil, you need to treat the branches, leaves, substrate around the bush with a diazonin solution.
• The strawberry tick eats flowers, buds, young leaves twist, grow smaller and fall away - it will save the phytoverm or neon.
• Chlorosis of the leaves begins due to too hard water or the wrong substrate - you should feed the flower with iron chelate.
• From late blight, spraying the leaves with a phytoderm will help.

Prevention of various ailments

1. To get rid of rust, leaf spot and other fungi, treatment is required - watering and spraying with fungicides.
2. If the White Lights rhododendron does not have enough light, flowering slows down, the flowers begin to hurt - you need to transplant the bush to a brighter place.
3. If the bushes are planted in direct sunlight, the leaves can get sunburn - shading or shelter is required.

Important! Preventive procedures against pests should be repeated 3-4 times with an interval of 9-10 days.

Only with careful and constant care, the exotic White Lights Rhododendron will bloom in a cloud of snow-white flowers.

Useful video

Watch a video on Japanese White Lice Azalea Care:

Watch the video: Pruning Azalea Bushes (April 2024).