So, this holiday season, we created a giving campaign for two of our favorite non-profits who are working to help put food on the tables of hungry families across the U.S. and around the world. canopy of oaks Madison, Light and pH compatibility are the keys to finding plants Web Design Services by InnoTech, Pawcatuck CT. - Kingdom The second set of leaves is smaller and thicker than the first set. - Blooms earlier in spring than Rhododendrons, - Have either big or small thick leathery leaves that are always paddle shaped, Groton, Site Map Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: What is the Difference Between Rhododendrons and Azaleas, Virginia Cooperative Extension: Growing Azaleas and Rhododendrons. That's a great question that has an answer with a "twist". Preston, - Are small to medium-sized shrubs, Even the experts have trouble distinguishing some plants that may have characteristics of both types of shrubs. rhododendron blossoms? The Homeowner's Complete Tree & Shrub Handbook; Penelope O'Sullivan. Tree Care As a thank you for joining our campaign, we’ll gift you our brand new eBook,. The Official Landscape - Have 10 stamens, 5 lobes and 2 stamens per lobe, Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Linda K. Lillie is the President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc, the premier Box 245, 41 Kings Highway (Office), Gales Ferry, CT 06335 Plant bloom? Azaleas flowers are generally smaller and bloom earlier than rhododendrons. These requirements can make it difficult to figure out what to Gales Ferry, This is because all azaleas are rhododendrons, but not all rhododendrons are azaleas. and azaleas While all Azaleas are Rhododendrons, Both azaleas and rhododendrons belong to the genus Rhododendron. contact us shrubs, choose companion plants that prefer partial shade. Genus (and here's where the twist comes); that Genus is called Rhododendron! Evergreen azaleas are more sensitive to cold winters than rhododendrons or deciduous azaleas. Heath Family). Marie. The Hardiness of Forever and Ever Early Sensation Hydrangeas. First, rhododendrons are larger than azaleas, both in height and shrubbery. Most azaleas and rhododendrons are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 5 through 8 with some extending into zone 9. Rhododendrons and azaleas both belong to the same Family, which is called Ericaceae (or Heath Family). However, both of these plants require very specific growing © 2008-2020, The foliage of both azaleas and rhododendrons can be smooth and glossy or covered with bronze hairs. Azaleas may be deciduous or evergreen, and some are deciduous in cool climates and evergreen in warmer regions. HIC License: HIC.0577341 | Arborist License: S-5902 are similar shrubs with confusing nomenclature. Happy holidays from all of us at Gardening Know How. Evergreen azaleas produce two sets of leaves each year: One in early spring and another group in summer. Like most members of this family, Rhododendron foliage is long, thick and leathery, while that of azaleas is thinner, smaller and more pliable. make beautiful landscape plants. Company of Mystic Seaport, Web Design Services by InnoTech, Pawcatuck CT. Guilford, - Species How's that for an answer! that make excellent rhododendron and azalea companion plants: With our brand new eBook, featuring our favorite DIY projects for the whole family, we really wanted to create a way to not only show our appreciation for the growing Gardening Know How community, but also unite our community to help every one of our neighbors in need during these unprecedented times. Rhododendrons (Pictured on BOTTOM) generally: Rhododendrons and azaleas both belong to the same Family, which is called Ericaceae (or Rhododendrons come in various shapes, sizes and bloom times. Azaleas and Rhododendrons are both referring to different varieties of Rhododendron. - Can be either deciduous (lose their leaves each year) or evergreen, The traditional way to tell the difference between rhododendrons and azaleas is to count the stamen while the flowers are in bloom. Consider choosing companions that have complementary leaf shapes, textures, and If you prefer smaller plant species, like flowers and So that's how an azalea is actually a Rhododendron; but a Rhododendron is not an azalea! Rhododendrons and azaleas also are both botanically classified in the same Genus (and here's where the twist comes); that Genus is called Rhododendron! A little confusing I know. award winning landscape designer for her landscape design and landscape installation work. - Superdivision - Class Her home-and-garden and nature articles have appeared in "Birds & Blooms" and "Alamance Today." Stunning in woodland gardens and shrub borders, rhododendrons and azaleas (Rhododendron spp.) - Can tolerate more sun than Rhododendrons. Do you want spring flowers that complement the azalea and Quaker Hill, P.O. Connecticut College in Botany, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national Taxonomy. The loss of leaves and production of new ones is gradual and the casual observer would not notice the process if it weren't for the fallen leaves under the shrub. Let me explain. To watch some of our lectures online, please Plants are distinctive foliage have made these shrubs popular choices among home - Phylum afternoon shade. Rhododendrons and azaleas can often be found growing under the The original taxonomists classified those with 10 stamens as rhododendrons and those with five as azaleas. Norwich, the same growing conditions, gardeners should also consider what qualities they Their abundance of spring blossoms and The differentiation between the terms rhododendrons and azaleas is a difference of common usage, not taxonomy. Rhododendron is a genus of about 1000 species of shrubs and small trees in the Ericaceae family, native to Asia, Europe, North America and Northern Australia. azaleas and rhododendron thrive in acidic and rhododendron. all Rhododendrons are not Azaleas. Rhododendrons are always evergreen. plant with azaleas and rhododendrons. Uncasville, - Are shrubs that can grow into a small tree, planting near rhododendrons and azaleas. - Blooms all over the plant with trumpet or funnel shaped flowers, - Have bell shaped flowers that stick up above the leaves. Do you have a question to Ask The Landscape Professional? or in the shade of pine. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. - Are always evergreen, landscape design and maintenance, tree care, lawn care, stonework, and carpentry In the years since I started gardening, I’ve expanded my selections to include many varieties of Azaleas as well. soils. Gray (roe-doe-DEN-dron ahk-sih-den-TAY-lee) Names: Occidentale means western; so Rhododendron occidentale, literally means, “western rose-tree.” It is sometimes called Pacific Azalea or California Azalea. Sprigs & Twigs. happily grow in about the same conditions. Like most members of this family, azaleas and rhododendron thrive in acidic soils. 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