Larry Hodgson has published thousands of articles and 65 books over the course of his career, in both French and English. His son, Mathieu, has made it his mission to make his father’s writings available to the public. This text was originally published in Le Soleil on December 5, 1987. Its content was modified from the original.
Question
How to make a gift azalea bloom again?
Anonymous from Baie-Comeau, Canada.
Answer
Nicknamed the florist’s azalea (Rhododendron simsii, syn R. indicum), it is in fact an evergreen shrub native to East Asia. It can reach 6 ft (1.8 m) high in its natural environment. It’s important to know that if we are offered azaleas in such large quantities at this time of year, it is not because it is a good houseplant, but rather because, being a plant that does not require much heat, it is cheap to produce during the winter. That said, it can still be made to bloom without having a cold greenhouse, but it will require special care.
Keep It Moist
First, always keep your florists azalea’s soil moist. It is a plant that “drinks” a lot, so it must be closely monitored. Put it in a cool place (no more than 18°C during the day) until spring. Bright light is useful in winter, so put it in front of a sunny window or give it artificial light. Make sure it is in a humid environment or install a humidifier. It is not necessary to fertilize until spring.
Come Spring
When the days warm up, place it outside in a half-shaded area, always watching the watering. At the same time, you can repot it with an acidic and well-drained substrate. It is more than possible that the grower planted it in a pot that was too small to save space and since this type of azalea is rarely kept after its first bloom. Now that your azalea growing, it’s a good time to start fertilizing. If the foliage appears to be yellowing, put a little vinegar in the water to acidify the soil. Bring the plant inside in the fall and put it in the coolest possible place, but away from frost. An azalea treated in this way should begin to bloom again during the winter.
Note that with all this care, the florist’s azalea is not a plant for the laidback gardener. But if you received it as a gift, it’s worth trying to make it bloom again!
More information on the florist’s azalea.
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Of all the azaleas that we grew on the farm, only one was a ‘florist’ azalea. All others were ‘landscape’ azaleas. Florist cultivars were developed for their particular application. Landscape cultivars, likewise, were developed for reliable survivability within landscape situations, although they are not quite as flashy as florist cultivars. Florist cultivars can of course adapt to landscape situations, but they generally stay lower, and their lavish bloom is potentially more susceptible to damage from the weather.