I just bought a couple of little azaleas in the florist shop. I planned on planting them in pots on my front porch, but now I see the temperature listed on them is between 50 and 60 degrees.
Can they tolerate lower temperatures, or should I wait to plant them out, and will they get acclimatised after being outside for a Summer and Fall?
Please advise, Christie
azaleas from florists
Don't do anything until someone else comes along and confirms this...but usually when plants that are sold as houseplants come with temperatures listed on them, I think that's to designate the house temperature that they would do best at (or maybe the minimum house temp for them to keep blooming nicely?) not necessarily their hardiness if planted outdoors. I can't think of any azalea's that wouldn't be hardy here, so I think from that standpoint it would be fine if you plant it outside (but maybe wait until all our freezing weather is over!) If florist azaleas are anything like florist hydrangeas though, they have been bred differently than the garden variety, so if you put them outside they may not do as well for you as a regular garden variety azalea would (there are lots of these all over garden centers now and in the spring, so maybe you can find a garden one you like equally well?)
My wife's co-workers gave her an Azalea for our birthday. It was small and completely covered with blooms. It turned out to be four tiny plants with three leaves each. We couldn't keep it alive. I think it was pushed beyond its limits with hormones.
Florist's used to sell "Belgian Indica" Azaleas, some may still. They are principally Rhododendron simsii (synonym R. indicum). These were developed for greenhouse forcing. They do not take frost, but you are 9b.
http://www.rhodyman.net/rahome.html
I got the "I-NEED-TO-PLANT-SOMETHING-NOW", and decided to plant the azaleas. I built a new flowerbed, and it needed colour, so I thought, why not.
They have been outside for 4 days now, with temperatures is the high 20's at night, and they are still looking fabulous!
they didn't live, I acted too soon.
They died so you all can learn from my mistake...
I took a chance and lost the bet!
Christie
Sorry to hear that! If this were a normal winter I bet they would have been fine, but all that cold weather can be tough on newly planted things. If you decide to replace them, I would get ones from the nursery rather than the florist ones, that way they're more likely to stand up well to garden conditions.
I replaced them with gardenias my dearest MIL bought me! And I cover them at night!
If you are interested in planting azaleas you need to go to a nursery and purchase those hardy for your zone. The florist kind you get for Mother's Day aren't meant to be planted outdoors
kyjoy, so I noticed!! They looked good for a week or so, and then died fast...
Inside they were not healthy either, so I thought 'why not' give them a chance outdoors.
The florist azaleas are not meant to be planted outside ever (unless your climate resembles a greenhouse at all times). They are strictly hothouse flowers--bred in the artificial greenhouse environment and meant to look nice for display indoors about the same amount of time as a cut flower bouquet. I, too, learned this lesson the hard way....
P.S. Same prob with florist hydrangeas too...can't plant them out either!
Kim
Kevarijn, indeed, they didn't look good inside for more than 5 days, that's why I thought maybe they'll do better outside. Truth is; they are never happy anyhow, a waste of money if you ask me!
My rhodie "Yaku Princess" bloomed for the first time I got her; 3 years ago!!! (picture)
Christie
I have an Indica Azaelea which is of the florist variety that was previously under discussion, and while I would not ever try it outside here in Denver, Colorado it has been growing in a pot since 1990 and blooms pretty profusely in the spring and sometimes again in the fall. I leave it out well into November as I think it sets better flower buds if it gets cooled off in the fall. It is also a deep rose color, single flower and has a slight fragrance, which is probably why I bothered to keep it all these years. I believe the variety name is "Bruxelles" or maybe "Brussels" I lost the tag a long time ago.
Incidentally, I have had a nice specimen of Rhododendron "Crete" for about 10 years which blooms nicely each year unprotected outside.
Harold