Crimson Queen Azalea foliage

Crimson Queen Azalea foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Indica Azalea

Description:

Grown primarily for foliage and seldom blooms; stunning crimson new foliage matures to gray green with a burgundy cast; showy when massed as a hedge; needs highly acidic and organic soil that is well drained

Ornamental Features

Crimson Queen Azalea features subtle pink trumpet-shaped flowers at the ends of the branches in mid spring. It has burgundy-variegated grayish green foliage which emerges crimson in spring. The narrow leaves remain grayish green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Crimson Queen Azalea is an open multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and can be pruned at anytime. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Crimson Queen Azalea is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Crimson Queen Azalea will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. You may want to keep it away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.