Plants & Bulbs

» Shell66 - need help....

I purchased in indoor braided Azalea tree in the late fall. It was doing great for a while, new blooms, new greenery... now... it seems to have fallen into a very deep sleep. Could this be so? Does it know the change of seasons even indoors or.. have I managed to kill a beautiful plant? Waaaaaaaaaaaa.... please help!

-- posted by Shell66

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» Angela England - need help....

In response to need help.... posted by Shell66:

Azaleas are plants that typically bloom once a year. Sounds like you have one of the braided azaleas with forced blooming.

Does it say what variety it is? Keepsake Azalea's website says it is a florist's azalea and not hardy past 30 degrees so if you are in a zone with winters colder than 30 degree you'll need to keep the plant indoors. If it is a regular cold-hardy azalea you may be able to plant outdoors.

Either way remember azaleas prefer part shade and acidic soil with PH between 4.5 and 6.0 so you will want to ammend the soil in the container to make it more acidic. Most garden centers will have potting mix specifically for acidic loving plants.

Consider transplanting to a larger pot to make sure it isn't rootbound. Azaleas are actually shrubs so it will likely try to grow from the tree form it has been forced to, to a shrubbier, more full plant.

Do not overwater during these winter dormant months and chances are your azalea will perk back up in the spring. Most azaleas bloom in the spring and yours is likely to get back to a normal schedule since it is no longer being forced.

There is more information on the Azalea Society of America website in their FAQ's section here: http://www.azaleas.org/faq.html#flo

Good luck!

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