“Spruce Up Your Garden with These 10 Unique Azalea Varieties”

The ‘Northern Hi-Lights’ is a type of rhododendron with cream to pale yellow blooms and bright yellow highlights that was developed by the University of Minnesota. It has good cold tolerance and mildew resistance, making it a hardy plant that requires humusy, acidic soil with moderate moisture and good drainage. This variety needs at least four hours of sunlight daily and protection from strong winds. To maintain its blooming, remove spent flowers and water regularly to keep the soil moist. The Hi-Lights hybrids were created by crossing two American species, R. prinophyllum and R. canadense, with Exbury-type azaleas to make them cold-hardy. The ‘Lemon Lights’ is another variety of rhododendron with lemon-colored blooms that can grow up to 4-5 feet tall. It requires partial sun exposure and can thrive in USDA Growing Zones 4-7.

From the University of Minnesota comes another frost-resistant plant, the ‘Lemon Lights’ azalea hybrid. Its spring blooms feature a lighter yellow hue on the edges that gradually transitions to a rich golden shade at the throat region, making it an attractive sight for pollinators. Although it grows slowly, this shrub reaches a maximum height of 6 feet. Ensure adequate soil moisture during the establishment phase by watering regularly. After flowering, lightly prune to shape the shrub. If you’re in a hot climate, provide afternoon shade to prevent damage. The ‘Lemon Lights’ azalea hybrid is a nursery hybrid and can be grown in USDA growing zones 4-8 with partial sun exposure. Another highly recommended plant is the ‘Encore Autumn Amethyst’ also known as Rhododendron ‘Conlee.’

The Encore series of azaleas, such as the ‘Encore Autumn Amethyst,’ are a great addition to any landscape due to their ability to produce blooms on new growth throughout the growing season. This is different from most azaleas which only bloom in the spring. There are over 30 types of Encore azaleas available so you can find the perfect hue for your garden. It’s important to remove spent blooms promptly to encourage further flowering. The colorful blooms will attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden all season long. The ‘Hot Shot’ (Rhododendron ‘Girard’s Hot Shot’) grows up to 6 feet tall and is suitable for partial sun exposure. These plants are native to nurseries and thrive in USDA zones 5-8.

Meet the striking ‘Hot Shot’ azalea, a member of the Girard series with vibrant red flowers. This low-growing evergreen plant adds a pop of color when placed in the middle of a border. To protect it from winter damage, ensure it is sheltered from wind and freezing troughs that can harm its buds. Additionally, avoid clay soil with poor drainage, which can cause root rot. Consistently watering the plant will prevent its roots from drying out. This cultivar is a hybrid of ‘El Capitan’ and ‘Aladdin.’ As a nursery hybrid, it thrives in USDA Growing Zones 6-9 with partial sun exposure.

For those gardeners looking for azaleas that provide interest throughout three seasons, ‘Variegated Gem’ is the perfect choice. This resilient shrub boasts pink flowers in the spring, white-edged foliage in the summer, and red leaves in the fall. It is also low-maintenance, requiring minimal pruning except for shaping and removing damaged parts. To cultivate this hybrid plant, which was created by crossing R. ‘Boudoir’ with R. ‘Aladdin’, followed by a cross between R. ‘Boudoir’ and R. ‘Corporal’, plant it in a location sheltered from winds and consider using mulch to maintain soil moisture. ‘Variegated Gem’ is a nursery hybrid and can be grown in USDA Zones 4-8, reaching a height of 5 feet. Another excellent cultivar is ‘Fireball’ (Rhododendron ‘Fireball’).

If you’re a beginner looking for a great plant to start with, you might want to consider the Exbury azalea hybrids such as ‘Fireball’. These deciduous azaleas are known for their cold tolerance and impressive spring blooms. With its upright growth habit, ‘Fireball’ produces stunning orange-red blossoms that stand out among other spring flowers. Plus, it doesn’t require much pruning and has a moderate growth rate. To ensure optimal growth, be sure to maintain moist, fertile, and acidic soil. Another noteworthy variety is ‘Fashion’ (Rhododendron ‘Girard’s Fashion’), which loves partial sun exposure and is ideal for USDA growing zones 5-8.

If you’re looking to attract hummingbirds to your garden early in the season, the ‘Fashion’ azalea hybrid with its vibrant coral blooms is a great choice. This evergreen shrub prefers partially shady areas with acidic soil and requires weekly watering to maintain adequate soil moisture. Keep the roots cool and moist by adding a layer of mulch. For more vigorous growth, fertilize your shrub after it blooms. The ‘Mandarin Lights’ rhododendron is another great option for your garden. It is a hybrid from a nursery and can grow in USDA zones 6-9, reaching a height of 2-4 feet. It thrives in partial sun exposure and requires well-drained, acidic soil. Add these plants to your garden and enjoy the sight of hummingbirds stopping by for a visit.

If you’re looking to add a pop of color and sweet fragrance to your garden, ‘Mandarin Lights’ may just be the perfect choice for you. With beautiful ruffled rust-colored blooms, this deciduous variety blooms early before foliage emerges. This extremely hardy plant is a great addition to your woodland garden and prefers evenly moist soil enriched with composted leaves or manure to increase acidity. ‘Mandarin Lights’ is a nursery hybrid native to North America and grows best in USDA Zones 3–7 with partial sun exposure. Another great option for your garden is ‘Snow’ (Rhododendron ‘Snow’), which completes our list of top 10 azaleas and rhododendrons for your landscape.

The ‘Snow’ azalea hybrid is a beautiful plant that blooms with trumpet-shaped white flowers in the spring against a lovely green backdrop. Its foliage stays lush and green throughout winter, and it grows at a slow pace that doesn’t require much pruning. If you do need to prune it, wait until after the flowering season to do so. This azalea type is very particular about where it’s planted, as it requires soil that’s rich, acidic, moist, and draining well. It also benefits from having mulch around its base to keep the roots cool and the soil moist. This Kurume hybrid is native to nurseries and can grow in USDA growing zones 6-8. It can reach up to 2-3 feet in height and prefers partial sun exposure. The Korean Azalea is also known as Rhododendron yedoense var. poukhanense.

The Korean azalea is a unique plant species that grows naturally rather than being artificially created in nurseries. It’s known for its fragrant and attractive rose-colored flowers that bloom in early spring, even before the leaves are fully grown. During fall, the shrub’s dark green foliage turns into a beautiful orange-red color, adding to its overall attractiveness. This slow-growing plant tends to spread outwards more than it grows tall. To ensure optimal growth, make sure to plant it in well-draining, acidic soil that is consistently moist. To protect its shallow root system, add a layer of mulch. The Korean azalea is native to southern and central Korea and grows well in USDA zones 4-9. It can thrive in partial or full sun exposure.