The elegance and beauty of azaleas and rhododendrons in bloom at the nursery have caused many an unsuspecting gardener to purchase these plants on impulse without knowledge of their cultural requirements. These plants are often planted in heavy Ohio clay soil, and the gardener is puzzled as the plants languish, dying branch by branch until they are only a shadow of their former beauty.
Deciduous azaleas are easier to grow than the evergreen types.
Site Selection Various hybrids of large-leaved rhododendron in bloom. Rhododendrons and azaleas grow best in a sheltered site that is not windswept, and one that receives dappled sun in the summer with little or no early morning sun in the winter. Early morning winter sun tends to heat the leaves and buds, allowing water to transpire while the roots are in frozen soil and cannot supply water to the leaves. The result is desiccation, leading to browning of the leaves and death of flower buds. The best sites for these plants are on the north side of a building, the east side, or last, the west side.