How much shade for azaleas – Gardener Report

Azaleas can grow in full shade but will produce less blooms and will likely grow a more spindly appearance. Partial shade is best balance for azaleas to stimulate blooms and produce healthy foliage, without the leaves suffering from sunburn and the roots struggling with drought in full sun. If you azalea has a leggy appearance and produces few flowers in the summer then the plant is in too much shade and requires transplanting to a location with more light or overhead branches that are casting shade need to be cut back to allow more dappled light. If the azalea is suffering from scorched leaves and often looks wilted, then the azalea is suffering because of too much sun and requires more shade in the form of trees or transplanting to a location with less intense sun exposure. Growing Azaleas in the Shade Azaleas are one of the few shrubs that can display flowers and produce attractive, healthy foliage whilst in partial shade. Therefore they make a great option to provide colour for gardens with abundant trees, walled gardens or enclosed areas. Shade provides azaleas with the following: Protection from direct intense sun shine in the summer which would scorch the tender leaves.Reduce transpiration from the leaves and reduce soil evaporation so that the azalea can avoid drought (azaleas have shallow root systems and require moist soil conditions at all times). The trees or structures providing the shade will also help protect the azalea from wind and the most severe cold frosts in the Winter, compared to open ground. However full shade all day is not recommended for growing azaleas, particularly if you are trying to encourage the plant to produce a spectacular bloom. Most species of Azalea will survive in full shade, however the growth of branches and foliage will look more spindly and the overall appearance of the plant will be less impressive. (Read my article for more information if your azalea is not growing). Azaleas enjoy some direct sun in the form of dappled light (from trees) or perhaps a couple hours of morning or afternoon sun as this stimulates the formation of buds and the production of blooms. In full shade the azalea will produce far fewer blooms but the foliage often can look healthy despite a spindly distribution of branches. Some varieties of azalea (such as alpine azaleas) actually prefer little to no shade however they only grow well in cold northern climates that experience weak sun and these tend to be the exception. It is also worth bearing in mind that shade from trees can be problematic if the trees roots competes for the azaleas roots for nutrients and moisture. Optimal Balance of Shade and Sun for Azalea Growth and Blooms How much shade your azalea requires will vary according to the climate of where the azalea is planted. Climate (in particular sunlight, heat, rainfall) is the most important factor when it comes to determining how much shade an azalea requires. Azaleas in Hot climates Require Shade to Avoid Sunburn In hot sunny climates, such as those in California or Southern Europe, azaleas will require considerable shade for most of the day from trees or other structures. In arid climates with strong summer sunshine, azalea leaves can suffer from sun burn where their leaves turn a yellow colour often with brown spots. Sun burn on azalea leaves if fairly easy to identify, if some of the outer leaves look scorched but the lower leaves, or leaves closer to the middle of the plant that inherently are more shaded retain a more healthy green. If all the leaves are yellow then this will be a different problem. Read my article on yellow azalea leaves for the solution. Azaleas are also shallow rooted so they are one of the first plants in the garden to suffer from drought. Hotter climates will need considerable shade from trees, but ideally you should try to avoid full shade as this will decrease the number of blooms. The best thing to do is to find a location in your garden that receives only modest sun during the growing season of a few hours at most in the early morning or late afternoon avoiding the intense mid day sun. Or to plant azaleas under a tree canopy so that they can enjoy occasional dappled light as these are the conditions in which most species of azalea thrive in their natural habitat. Trees that are ideal for providing shade for azaleas are Oak trees and Pine trees. Both the type of trees have a more sparse canopy then trees such as beech, so they do not deprive the azalea of light and still provide enough protection to avoid sunburn on the leaves and to stop the soil from drying out and baking hard. Also keep in mind that some tree roots require copious amounts water and nutrients in the soil and they will compete with the azaleas roots. Drought is a common problem for azaleas as they require moist soil to grow to their best. (To learn more, read my article on how much and how often to water azaleas). The best ways to mitigate the risk of drought are with correct preparation of the soil before planting the azalea and regular applications of mulch to conserve water and reduce evaporation. (Read my guide how to prepare garden soil for azaleas). Shade for Azaleas in Cooler Temperate Climates In cooler temperate climates azaleas will naturally require less shade in order to promote flowering. In places such as Northern Europe or Washington in the USA there are much higher levels of rainfall (which benefits the azaleas as they prefer moist soil) and more cloud cover with less intense levels of sun light. This means that you can get away with azaleas planted in much less shade in these areas and still avoid scorching the leaves. I have seen azaleas cope with around 6 hours of sun per day in cooler temperate climates and produce a good display of flowers, however they may be susceptible to sunburn with the occasional heat wave in the summer but they recover. Shade providing structures are still necessary for azaleas from the perspective of the tree canopy or structure sheltering azaleas from wind damage and mitigating some of the effects of frost, which can pose a threat to growth and blooms. It is impossible to prescribe an exact amount of sun/shade for azaleas in different areas as the answer will be different according to many different factors such as humidity, temperature, wind etc. But three to four hours of sun in cool temperate climates or consistent dappled light will be suitable for most azaleas to grow well and produces blooms in the Spring and Summer. Key Takeaways: Azaleas can grow in the shade but tend the growth tends to be more spindly and the azalea produces fewer flowers.Azaleas in arid, sunny climates require far more shade to protect against sunburn and drought. 2 hours of morning or afternoon sun or dappled light from a tree canopy is optimal for growth and blooms.Azaleas in cool temperate climates require far less shade as the sun light is less intense and the rainfall tends to be higher therefore the plant is less susceptible to drought and sunburn.