The Azalea, a beautiful flowering plant, is part of the Rhodendron family. When purchased in a six or eight inch pot, decorated with a lovely basket and bow, it makes a very special gift for Birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day; it also makes a perfect centerpiece for weddings.

When kept indoors, azaleas enjoy bright light, well-drained acidic soil. (You can use your leftover tea rather than fertilizer). It is better to allow the plant to dry out somewhat & even droop a little than to over-water; over-watering will cause severe leaf drop. Azaleas have what are called terminal blooms, one flower per stem. These flowers all bloom at one time creating a spectacular show of color. Once the flowers finish blooming the plant needs to be pruned.

Azaleas may be planted outside, partly in the shade, in well- drained slightly acidic soil. However, they do not well where the temperature dips below 0 degrees F nor do they tolerate high heat for long periods (i.e. Southwest U.S.).

Whether you keep them inside or plant them outside, azaleas are beautiful plants that require little care and provide years of enjoyment