Azalea japonica 'Hiroko' GEISHA PURPLE

Japanese azaleas are very popular features of our gardens. W. Arends, descendant of famous Georg Arends (1863-1952) who was a botanist and gardener and is renowned especially for his astilbe hybrids that gained his name as arendsii, followed his success and bred a series of evergreen azaleas called GEISHA. It was in 1960 when he put together 6 varieties (Haruko, Hiroko, Kazuko, Kumiko, Michiko a Takako), yet the most popular one came 11 years later - in 1971 when he introduced Satschiko, a variety which was closest to orange colour, a shade that so far appears impossible in the world of evergreen azaleas.

GEISHA PURPLE is another gem out of the GEISHA series of Japanese azaleas. It produces a profusion of small, hose in hose, semi-double, mauve purple flowers with frilled margins. They open from late April and bloom for almost 3 weeks. Evergreen leaves are small, oval, dark green, and glossy. It forms a compact and low, cushion-like shrub.

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 them too deep. It is hardy to about -27°C (USDA zone 5b).

Last update 25-11-2020