Summary

Azaleas arebeautiful inflorescence shrubsthat are pop with a fate of domicile gardener . Their bloomsbrighten up springlandscapes with displays of abundant pinkish , blanched , pick , orange , red , jaundiced , and purplish flowers . Evergreen azalea are dauntless in zones 5 through 9 while deciduous azalea have been known to thrive as low as zone 3 . But what hap when the leaves of your cheerful azalea industrial plant begin to wilt ?

Discover the mostcommon causal agent of wilt leavesin azaleas as well as how to bring them back to full wellness .

Disease

azalea are clean hardy plants ; however , they are susceptible to disease , a few of which can cause wilting leaf .

Phytophthora Root Rot

Phytophthoraroot rotis because of a type of water mold calledPhytophthorathat can live on in the soil for several geezerhood . It can be spread through contact with contaminated horticulture tools , splashed irrigation or rain water , and through soil that ’s contaminated with the moulding . When there ’s been flooding or overweight rainfall where the grease rest saturated with water for over six to eight hours your azalea are at risk of prepare root rot .

In azaleas , root rot causes the roots of the plant to turn red and brown , before waste by . Above the surface of the soil , there are also signs that root buncombe is occurring . The leave of absence of your azalea industrial plant will wilt , drop off their shine , turn softened green or yellow , and finally roll downwards . If left untreated , root decomposition will stunt the growth of your plant and the parting will precipitate off .

Toprevent ascendant bunk , always plant your azaleas insoil with good drainage , so weewee ca n’t pool around the root . you may also choose disease - insubordinate type of azaleas like ' Rose Greeley ' , ' Corrine ' , and ' Merlin ' . quash over watering and make certain to only give your azalea H2O when they have n’t received an column inch of rainwater that workweek , or when the top in of filth is ironic . When it amount to disease in plants , bar is the effective medication .

The three sisters growing in a garden

Verticillium wilt

If you see the leaves of your azaleas change colouring material from red to yellow before droop and falling from the plant , you may have verticillium wilt . Although this disease can effect the works at any prison term , it ’s most common to see symptom in late summertime and crepuscule . Verticillium wilt usually attacks the plant one arm at a time . Peel back the bark on effect limbs to look for dark-skinned European olive tree or gray streak in the Natalie Wood below . This is another sign of verticillium wilting .

Verticillium wilt disease is triggered by kingdom Fungi — specificallyVerticillium dahliaeandVerticillium albo - atrum — that enter your works through the roots . Once inside , they get blockages to the tissue that moves water throughout your azaleas . With these closure restricting water stream , your industrial plant becomes dehydrated , and the leaves start to droop .

regrettably , verticillium wilt disease often kill off the plant once it ’s taken hold . you may delay this by making trusted your azaleas are getting an inch of body of water a hebdomad , using mulchto preserve wet , and remove any bushed branches as they occur .

Gardener watering tomatoes in the vegetable patch

To forbid verticillium wilt , it ’s of import toproperly disinfect your gardening toolsand keep your garden clean of plant junk like leaves , branches , and old mulch that may carrythe fungus , causing verticillium wilt .

Too Much Sun

While sun is of import to allowazaleas to growand for their beautiful blooms to seem , too much can be harmful . sunshine dry out the soil and with the shallow root of your azaleas , this can leave to a personnel casualty of water and wilting leave of absence . The heat of the sunlight itself can also scorch the touchy folio of your azalea flora causing them to sunburn , droop , and even fall off .

institute your azalea in a localisation that acquire three to six hours of mottled sunlight a day . Morning sun is preferable to good afternoon Dominicus — which can singe the leafage — so plant your azaleas in the east or compass north facing parts of your yard . The exception to this is if you live in zones 3 through 6 . In these milder partition the sunlight your azalea receives wo n’t be as harsh , so you may institute your azalea where it ’ll get six 60 minutes of sunshine a day .

If you only have access tofull sunspots in your yard , choose a deciduous azalea like white ' Alabama Azalea ' , pinkish ' Pinkshell Azalea ' , or ruby ' Oconee Azalea ' . Deciduous azaleas permit full Dominicus better than evergreen plant azalea .

Applying an insect relief cream

Improper Watering

Both too much and too little watering can cause wilting leaves in azaleas . Too much water can leave to diseases like root rot that cause the industrial plant ’s leaves to wilt and curl up . Too little tearing can cause stress on the plant go to wilting leaves . The root scheme of an azalea is shallow — the plant only slump its roots a metrical foot or two into the soil . This means that the ancestor are at risk of drying out without consistent watering .

To avoid over or under watering your azaleas ensure towater themwhen the top column inch of soil is dry or whenever they have n’t meet an in of rain that workweek . During warmer days and in hot clime you may have to water more frequently , so it ’s always a good theme to check the moisture level of your land alternatively of relying on a weekly watering schedule . If the dirt is still wet when you test it , hold back onwatering your azaleas .

Winter Damage

Winter beat a unique problem to azaleas . High winds can dry out the leaves of your plant , and since the pee beneath the ground is frozen , the leaves may wilt . Bright , sunny daylight can also dry out your azaleas and cause them to droop . This is peculiarly true of recently plant azaleas as their root system is n’t in full developed . They may struggle to substitute water lose to hint and Lord’s Day evaporation , leading towinter injury .

To preclude accidental injury due to water evaporationin the winter , check that to give your azaleas a good tearing before winter striking . Then , help seal moisture into the land by apply a 3 - inch thicklayer of mulcharound the base of the azalea industrial plant . Keep the mulchlayer a few inches off from the body of the works to prevent moulder from setting in . If there ’s a period of warm weather during the winter , withdraw the mulch and take advantage by irrigate your azalea .

Keep Your Azaleas Happy!

azalea are a popularshrub that explode with an abundance of colorful blossoms every spring . They ’re fairly hardy , but their leaves can wilt if they ’re exposed to too much sunlight , their tearing needs are n’t meet , winters are rough , or they encounter a disease . With some premeditation as toplanting your azaleasas well as care throughout the time of year , your plants should stay sound for years to come .

unhealthy azalea

azaleas

Azaleas by a bridge under a tree.

Watering azaleas

winter azalea