Azalea 'BLAUES WUNDER' deciduous azalea
size/type
medium-sized shrub,medium-sized shrub
usual height
1-2m
usual width
1-2m
leaves
deciduous broadleaf
colour of leaves
flowers
showy
colour of flowers
blooming time
May
location
full to partial sun
soil type
acidic (peaty) to neutral
soil moisture requirements
evenly moist (dislikes drought)
USDA zone (lowest)
4 (down to -34°C)
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Deciduous azaleas are probably the most striking flowering shrubs. Their colours are vivid and bright, and often have the shades that not many rhododendrons can offer. Unlike many rhododendrons they need full sun. In fact, all azaleas are correctly named rhododendrons in scientific names. But the historical split between rhododendrons and azaleas is so established that it makes no sense changing it now. Many of them are crossbred with r. luteum with pure yellow and very fragrant flowers. There is a number of varieties grouped under the name Ghent Azaleas developed by P. Mortier from Ghent who originally was not a horticulturist but a baker. He was the first to crossbreed European r. luteum and North American species in early 1820’s and until 1850 he introduced many fantastic varieties with colourful, fragrant, and somewhat smaller flowers. He was followed by Anthony Waterer from England who used Ghent hybrids as well as Asian species and gave birth to a large-flowered group named Knap Hill Azaleas after the nursery where he worked. Around 1920 he had a successor Lionel de Rotschild from Exbury Estate in Southampton, England, who continued crossbreeding Waterer’s azaleas and developed a series later called Exbury Azaleas.
Description of the plant:
Deciduous azaleas with blue tinted foliage originated in Denmark after 1950’s. Blaues Wunder is one of them. Its leaves are truly fantastic: rich maroon with blue blueberry hues as they emerge, matte, narrowly elongated and deciduous. They mature to bright green in summer and turn yellow, orange, and red in autumn. In the first decade of May appear vivid yellow, sweetly fragrant, star-shaped flowers with narrow petals. The plant grows into well-branched, upright shrub about one meter tall and wide when 10 years old.Deciduous azaleas are ericaceous plants, loving insulate position with always moist soil. During temporary summer dry spells in certain areas their leaves may suffer and be prone to fungus infections. When spots appear on the leaves or they lose colour and start to curl use a suitable fungicide immediately. 1-2 sprays should help the plant remain beautiful and healthy.
They require no pruning. Should you need to shape or rejuvenate your plant do so as early in the spring as possible so that it can still make new twigs with flower buds for the next season. It re-sprouts reliably. It has many surface roots which spread to sides in search for nutrients and water. The best soil mixture consists of peat, lime-free compost and leaf-mould. Fully hardy to min. -34 °C (USDA zone 4).
Last update 10-01-2024
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GLOSSARY
- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
