Azalea japonica 'PINK RAIN'

Japanese azaleas are very popular features of our gardens. In their home climate they grow to relatively substantial shrubs, as opposed to limited sizes in our continental, dry climate. They are very floriferous, maintenance-free shrubs that usually bloom from mid to late spring.

Pink Rain is a charming Japanese azalea with soft pink flowers and very compact habit. Flowering begins in mid May and continues for about 3 weeks, also a few flowers often appear in September. They are cotton-candy pink, mid-sized, open wide with long, conspicuous stamens, and sometimes slightly outward curved petals. It is a slow grower, forming a neatly rounded or cushion-like shrub. The reliably evergreen leaves are small, medium green, elliptic, and very glossy.

Japanese azaleas can be clipped to shapes in early June. If so, do not use fertilizers enhancing growth rate. The size of new branches would get out hand and spoil the shape you are going to achieve. They need light, permeable soil that is acid, constantly moist (keep azaleas mulched at all times) and moderately fertile. Use fertilizers for rhododendrons and azaleas, or ericaceous plants. The best soil mix is 1/3 of peat, 1/3 of leaf-mould or lime-free compost, and 1/3 of soil from the hole where you are going to plant it. Azaleas have shallow roots, so do not plant not too deep. This variety proved hardy to -24°C° (USDA zone 6) but will probably take lower temperatures.

Last update 20-09-2016