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If you love big flowering shrub , Azaleas ( Rhododendrons)should have a place in your garden . These flowering plants are a favorite in cosmetic garden because they create salient rosiness during downslope and spring and uprise very well in shady areas .
azalea expect their infrangible best if you pair them with other plants that can create some contrast or conceal the base of these shrubs . These friendly florals can be mate with a monumental mixture of companion .
In this guide , we will look at some of the dependable fellow plants to grow with Azalias if you desire these flowering bush to expand or if you ’ll make those beautiful blooms pop during the flowering time of year .
What to Grow with Azaleas
There are M of unlike specie of Azaleas . Some species will only produce up to 1 beat tall , while others can form large tree diagram up to 30 metre tall and can be found in evergreen or deciduous form in a immense potpourri of colors .
This huge variety of brush mintage can offer landscaping designer a lot of flexibility , but it also means you must be measured when prefer companion plants . Some type may not await as attractive as other plants in your garden .
The better way to discover suited fellow traveler plants for azaleas is by regard the growing requirements for these plants .
Azaleas prefer partial shade since they only digest 2 – 6 hour of direct sun . They prefer well - fertilized loam soil with good drain and a high pH of 4.5 – 6 . This attractive leafage also needs steady watering . It is always ripe to partner off this attractive leafage with plants that grow well in the same consideration .
countenance ’s look at the best foliage to include when you plant azaleas .
Hydrangeas
French hydrangeas ( Hydrangea macrophylla)are excellent fellow traveller plants for azalea to produce a duncical border of showy shrub in your garden .
These unfolding shrubs will look divine alongside azaleas because they also form vivid blooms . They are often call snowball bushes because they produce ball - shaped cluster of bloom . Various colors are available , and the flowered colors can be alter by changing the soil pH or adding sure plant food .
The snowball President George W. Bush bloom will make heap of texture alongside the tumid individual or double florals of the azalea .
These two shrubs have similar blooming seasons and are sure to create spectacular display from spring to strike . During this metre , they will also attract pollinator like butterflies and hummingbird to your beautiful garden .
These plants will grow alongside azalea because they prefer acidic soil and grow well in dappled sunshine . hydrangea can grow up to 2 meters marvellous . For optimal results , it is commonly best to arise hydrangea alongside azaleas with a similar tallness or in front of taller azaleas .
Barberry Shrubs
Barberry shrub ( Berberis buxifolia)are a good option if you are search for companion industrial plant that will create more grain and contrast in your garden . These plants help mould hedge , conceal unsightly area , or enhance your garden ’s winter interest .
Nipponese barberry plants are available in different subspecies , which admit varieties with red , lime , silver grey , Au , deep maroon , or sorry green foliage , and the chromaticity of the foliage can transfer during unlike seasons .
This leafy bush can be found in evergreen plant or deciduous form and produces many branches with a medium to fine texture . The foliage form yellow blush watch over by undimmed red berries that will mature and lure pollinators to your garden during wintertime .
When select a good variety of barberry , it is normally best to focus on something that will produce hatful of contrast with the blue fleeceable foliage of the azaleas in the background .
It is also best to establish your barberry in sunny parts of your garden while the azaleas remain in the back since these shrubs forge better displays of colour if they are grow in full sun .
These azalea companion industrial plant can turn over up to 2 time tall . But they are fairly light to cut back back and keep shorter if you want to create a boundary line in front of taller industrial plant varieties in the back .
Mountain Laurel
Mountain laurels ( Kalmia latifolia ) are attractive flowering light touch that you could spring up alongside or in front of a hedge or barrier of azaleas .
This evergreen leaf forms large clusters of blooms in color like off - white , pinkish , scarlet , rose , or Burgandy . They bloom during late leaping and former summertime and can light up your garden while you wait for your azaleas to set about their flowering season . When this brushwood forms early spring bulb , it will attract beautiful butterflies and other pollinators to your garden .
This bush grows well in USDA zone 5 – 9 and in mottled sun ( although they can grow in abstruse shadiness or even full sunshine ) .
The forestry shrub can mature up to 4 measure tall but typically only hit a elevation of 1 metre . With his size , you should couple mountain laurels in front of azaleas or plant them alongside azalea varieties with a like superlative .
Dogwood Trees
cornel trees ( Cornus Florida ) are idealistic fellow plants if you need something to grow behind short azaleas or alongside tall varieties of azalea .
These floral tree are a tangible goody for the eye when they bloom in spring or early summertime , but they will supply lots of involvement to your garden since the repeated ’s foliage can look invoke throughout the year .
During the bloom time , dogwood Tree will take form a monumental explosion of blank or pink prime all over the tree diagram . Those white peak can create a beautiful backdrop if you pair them with azalea scrub with a counterpoint color .
cornel trees can produce 20 – 40 feet marvellous ( 6 – 12 metre ) , while tall azalea mixed bag only grow up to 20 metrical unit ( 6 meters ) tall . Since your azalea bush will be short than dogwood tree , it is usually recommended to grow them around the dogwoods .
These tree will grow well with azaleas because they also get well in full sun to fond shade , making them idealistic fellow plant for azalea .
Spotted Dead Nettle
Dead Nettle ( Lamium maculatum ) , often called beacon silver grey , is a good fellow traveller works to grow around azalea Bush if you want to hold in the home of your azaleas or create a border around your flowered shrubs .
Dead nettle is an idealistic border flora for an azalea garden because the silvery foliage will create set of contrast between the dark green foliage of azalea bushes .
This weed will also bloom throughout the yr ( with vigorous efflorescence from recent spring to early summer ) and produce attractive purple bloom that attend great when paired with free florals like albumen , loss , pinks , or purple .
These low - rise plants will only give a height of about 10 – 20 cm ( 4 – 8 inches ) but will thrive all over your azalea garden .
They are perfect garden filler to cover bare field underneath or around azaleas because these plant can spring up well in luminosity or even full ghost and will service as a survive mulch to nourish the soil around these flowered trees .
Witch Hazel
The crone hazel tree ( Hamamelis ) might scare some people , but this foliage is an first-class fellow traveller plant for azalea . They will search neutral during summertime , so your floral shrubs can bug out . During the cool time of year , they will add together lots of wintertime interest because the leaves will become golden yellow during declination .
American witch hazel tree has a fall heyday clip and will bring about many small yellow flowers with a spicy aroma . The flyspeck flowers have an interesting pattern with thin , spiky prime leaves that remind of wanderer legs .
These plants will become dormant in wintertime , but the woody bush can expect sympathetic and will add lots of contrast to your garden even in this stage .
These trees usually produce 15 – 30 feet ( 4 – 8 meters ) tall . This height is like to the height of azaleas , meaning it is better to raise witch hazel amongst your azalea shrubs . These acid - loving plants prefer full sun but can turn in shaded areas with regular watering .
Hostas
Hostas ( Plantain lilies)are very popular in shaded garden and are good for companion planting in an azalea garden . These low - profile plants are perfect for filling out a garden layer and giving your garden a full and riotous appearing .
genus Funka form many large leaves that add more texture to your garden bed . This industrial plant has many varieties , and the green leaf can differ significantly from simple green leaves to ornamental foliage with different colors or patterns .
Musa paradisiaca lily will organise bell - shaped flowers for about six week during late outflow , creating a beautiful event when grown along fountain - blossom azalea . Most masses do , however , grow Hosta for their attractive foliation and because they are so easy to broadcast and establish .
These specter - loving plant develop well in moist , nutrient - rich soil and can be grown in lighting or even full tincture . Their shade leeway makes them perfect ground covers for azalea and other shrub , especially since they typically only get up to 2 feet tall .
Boxwoods
Boxwoods ( Buxus)are frequently grown fellow traveler plants for azalea because they can be trimmed or mold into hedge or orbs , add piles of structure to your garden . This is highly helpful since trimming azaleas is n’t practical , specially if you want pile of blooms .
The common box is one of the oldest recorded plant to be used in cosmetic gardening . It date back to ancient Egypt , where Egyptians used this leaf to make beautiful garden hedges .
These brushes , with their yellow - green foliage , can be trim throughout the class without damaging the works , and they can be cut to any shape or sizing .
Boxwoods typically turn 2 – 12 metre grandiloquent and have evergreen foliage to keep your garden vibrant even during dull wintertime . It is an ideal plant to produce for winter interest if perennial azaleas fall behind their leaves during winter .
boxwood grow very well in acidic soil , need well - drained soil , and they make out well when they only receive a niggling bit of morning sun with lot of good afternoon shade . you could produce them as a mete plant around azalea or as a hedgerow in front of your florals .
Japonica
The Japonica ( Pieris japonica)is another dear bush to turn alongside azaleas and rhododendron because the leaf of this shrub will start bronze or red and subsequently deform green . It will also produce urn - shaped or lantern - forge flowers in colors like blanched or pink in early springtime that can look very cosmetic alongside the azalea blooms . The colorful leave-taking and flowers can add together year - round interest to your garden .
These floral bush prefer damp atmospheric condition , and they grow well in acidulent soil types and can heighten your soil texture . The copse cull shaded circumstance and can be successfully established in your azalea garden .
Japnoicas are myopic than many azalea varieties . They usually turn 9 – 12 animal foot ( 2.7 – 3.6 metre ) tall , so it is normally best to grow azalea behind these various shrub .
Final Thoughts
rhododendron azaleas can depend fantastic if grown with the right companion plants . There are quite a few gorgeous bush and florals that take well to the same acidulous soil that azaleas penury . We hope our usher made it leisurely for you to pick out good companion plants for your shaded garden . If you require more information on other plant varieties to include in your garden , we receive you to look at some of our other guides .
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