How to Prune Azaleas
Know your azalea., Clip out dead stems in the spring., Trim the bush carefully after the flowers are gone., Don't prune beyond three weeks after the flowers have died.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know your azalea.
Azaleas are available in two main classes: native azaleas and Asian azaleas.
Native azaleas grow like vines, and they don't need pruning.
If you have an Asian azalea shrub, it could be one of two main evergreen varieties:
Kurume hybrids are usually bright red and don't tend to grow very large
- no more than 3 or 4 feet (0.9 or
1.2 m).
They do well with some maintenance pruning, but they may never need much pruning at all.
Southern Indian hybrids grow very large and fast, and are most likely to need pruning
- especially if you have one planted near your house.
Take note that when you're picking out azaleas to plant, choosing a Kurume instead of a Southern Indian will be your best bet if you don't want to worry as much about maintenance. -
Step 2: Clip out dead stems in the spring.
Even though both varieties of evergreen azalea should survive the winter, you'll probably see a few dead or diseased looking stems and branches in the shrub come spring.
Use hand trimmers (or loppers, for thicker branches) to remove dead or damaged stems where they connect with healthy wood.
Try to make as clean and small of a cut as possible, so that the healthy wood isn't left with a large cut in it; this can be an entry point for fungus and disease. , When spring comes and goes and the bright flowers begin to die, it's time to do your annual light pruning.
Use hand trimmers to carefully trim back long stems.
Make careful cuts in order to improve the shape of the bush.
Trim back areas that seem too crowded, and don't overdo it in the thinner areas.
Don't take hedge clippers and shear the bush into shape.
Make precise, carefully selected cuts instead.
Otherwise, you're needlessly creating spots on the plant where no flowers will bloom. , If you wait to long and prune in late summer or fall, you'll be taking off the maturing buds that will turn into next spring's flowers.
If you forget to prune, it's best to just wait until the following spring, unless you don't mind having gaps in your blooms. -
Step 3: Trim the bush carefully after the flowers are gone.
-
Step 4: Don't prune beyond three weeks after the flowers have died.
Detailed Guide
Azaleas are available in two main classes: native azaleas and Asian azaleas.
Native azaleas grow like vines, and they don't need pruning.
If you have an Asian azalea shrub, it could be one of two main evergreen varieties:
Kurume hybrids are usually bright red and don't tend to grow very large
- no more than 3 or 4 feet (0.9 or
1.2 m).
They do well with some maintenance pruning, but they may never need much pruning at all.
Southern Indian hybrids grow very large and fast, and are most likely to need pruning
- especially if you have one planted near your house.
Take note that when you're picking out azaleas to plant, choosing a Kurume instead of a Southern Indian will be your best bet if you don't want to worry as much about maintenance.
Even though both varieties of evergreen azalea should survive the winter, you'll probably see a few dead or diseased looking stems and branches in the shrub come spring.
Use hand trimmers (or loppers, for thicker branches) to remove dead or damaged stems where they connect with healthy wood.
Try to make as clean and small of a cut as possible, so that the healthy wood isn't left with a large cut in it; this can be an entry point for fungus and disease. , When spring comes and goes and the bright flowers begin to die, it's time to do your annual light pruning.
Use hand trimmers to carefully trim back long stems.
Make careful cuts in order to improve the shape of the bush.
Trim back areas that seem too crowded, and don't overdo it in the thinner areas.
Don't take hedge clippers and shear the bush into shape.
Make precise, carefully selected cuts instead.
Otherwise, you're needlessly creating spots on the plant where no flowers will bloom. , If you wait to long and prune in late summer or fall, you'll be taking off the maturing buds that will turn into next spring's flowers.
If you forget to prune, it's best to just wait until the following spring, unless you don't mind having gaps in your blooms.
About the Author
Isabella Turner
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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