Azalea japonica 'Walpinruf' WALBERTON'S^® PINK RUFFLES

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 end April until June.

WALBERTON’S^® is a Japanese azalea series bred by David Tristram from Sussex County in the UK. His breeding programme began in 1993 in order to achieve a range of compact, profusely flowering azaleas with large, open wide flowers. The initial parent was an American variety Else Lee and many more other varieties were used for crossbreeding. The first plants were selected in 2003 and so far there are 4 registered varieties which are listed are rhododendron kaempferi hybrids.

WALBERTON‘S^® PINK RUFFLES is an evergreen azalea producing extraordinary flowers. They are large, semi-double or fully double, clear pink with ruffled margins. They open in profusion from about late April for 3-4 weeks on the background of small, dark green, narrowly elliptic, partially glossy, evergreen leaves. The plant exhibits dense, compact, almost rounded habit. US plant patent No. PP26544 was granted in 2016.

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. They are fully hardy to about -27°C (USDA zone 5b-6).

Last update 09-03-2023