Pruning Azaleas: How to Prune Azalea Bushes
Pruning azaleas involves cutting away branches so that the plant doesn’t look cluttered. Pruning azaleas helps to improve the quality of azalea flowers produced.
Azaleas are also known as the ‘royalty of the garden’. Some azaleas are grown from seed while others can only be grown from cuttings.
White Azalea Flower-Image via Wikipedia
How to Prune Azalea Bushes: Timing is Key
Pruning azaleas just after they bloom lets you enjoy that year’s flowers. Azaleas bloom in spring and wilt after a few weeks. Azaleas flowers bloom in many different colors, including reddish orange, pink, purple and red. Azalea flowers may have stripes and flecks. Some azalea flowers have narrow petals while others have wide, round petals.
Flecked Azalea Flowers-Image via Wikipedia
How to Prune Azalea Bushes: Give it The Shape You Want
When pruning azaleas, dead flowers and dead leaves should be removed. Leaf pruning helps the plant to have a suitable shape. For example very slim trees may be pruned to help them develop a more full shape. Pruning azaleas requires care, especially with older branches, since these branches will break easily.
50-Year Old Azaleas-Image via Wikipedia
Pruning azaleas is done to shape the plant. To learn more about pruning and other gardening techniques, I recommend this eco-friendly gardening tutorial.
Azalea branches are cut away to train the azalea plants to have the shape that you want. Be careful to keep track of the number of branches you are cutting away. You don’t want to cut away too many branches while pruning azaleas, since that will make the plant weak.
How to Prune Azalea Bushes: Remove Suckers
When pruning azaleas, suckers should be removed. These grow in the elbows of the tree and from the base of the trunk. They spoil the shape of the azalea plant.
Sometimes azalea branches grow in such a way that they obstruct a path or become bigger than the space that was planned for them. Pruning the azalea plants in this case helps them stay in their allotted space.
Azaleas have more branches towards the base of the trunk than the top. The branches nearer to the bottom are stronger than those at the top. Dead, diseased or weak branches should be cut away.
Azalea Flower-Image via Wikipedia
Pruning azaleas helps to maintain the health of the plant.
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Published in: Gardening
jennifer eiffel01 | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
We have one of these plants in our back yard. Thanks for the good tips. It should look much better now!
webseowriters | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
very beautiful share
SharifaMcFarlane | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
What color are the flowers Pattiann?
SharifaMcFarlane | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
Thanks Webs.
Sharif Ishnin | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
Beautiful plants need all the tender loving care. I ‘m not sure I have come across this flowers before. They are beautiful.
CA Johnson | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
This is an excellent guide for people who have azaleas. It is important to take care of your plants if you want them to be healthy and beautiful.
K Kristie | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
Royalty of the garden, that’s good to know, such beautiful flowers.
LCM Linda | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
A good guide to gardener who have azaleas or want to plant some in the future. The flowers are beautiful.
SharifaMcFarlane | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
Yes they are Sharif.
SharifaMcFarlane | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
Hi CA,
Healthy plants result from good care.
SharifaMcFarlane | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
They are JK.
SharifaMcFarlane | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
That’s good to know Linda.
Brewed Coffee | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
The pink azalea is simply beautiful. Thanks for your pruning tips Sharifa.
Mr Ghaz | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
Beautiful and stunning pictures. nicely presented and well written piece. really enjoyed this. Thanks my friend
nz2rdfox | Apr 5, 2011 | Reply
Okay..this is one helpful trips for those who are into pruning flowers.
How about pruning some men or woman? D’ you have some tips my friend
Likha | Apr 6, 2011 | Reply
Lovely flowers. Azalea.. I think it’s also a beautiful name for a person. LOL nz, who do you have in mind?
Jimmy Shilaho | Apr 6, 2011 | Reply
Some nice tips here Sharifa.
Borhan | Apr 6, 2011 | Reply
Interesting topic. Thanks for sharing.
gaby7 | Apr 6, 2011 | Reply
I liked the beauty of these flowers!
CHIPMUNK | Apr 6, 2011 | Reply
Most beautiful very attractive
john smither | Apr 6, 2011 | Reply
Good tips for all those with these plants, good pictures too.
d1dezire | Apr 6, 2011 | Reply
Beautiful pictures
real lady | Apr 6, 2011 | Reply
I like the pink one.
Starpisces | Apr 6, 2011 | Reply
very pretty flowers, now, I need to change house, with a garden.
LewSethics | Apr 6, 2011 | Reply
I have terrible luck with azaleas and roses for some reason.
I think my soil is poor and doesn’t drain well enough for those plants.
SharifaMcFarlane | Apr 7, 2011 | Reply
You’re welcome Brewed.
SharifaMcFarlane | Apr 7, 2011 | Reply
You’re welcome Mr. Ghaz.
@ Nz
Lol
SharifaMcFarlane | Apr 7, 2011 | Reply
That might be it Lew.
@ Star
Glad you like them.
Michal Dorcak | Apr 7, 2011 | Reply
Beautiful pictures, looks like a good advice too.
anndavey650 | Apr 7, 2011 | Reply
Aw these are one of my favourite plants… but I can’t grown them, either I’m useless or my soil is useless (Or the neighbours cat that peed on them is useless).
yes me | Apr 8, 2011 | Reply
A nice share here Sharifa cheers
mtrguanlao | Apr 9, 2011 | Reply
Honestly friend,it’s my first time to hear about this flower as I only know very few ones,lol! Lovely flowers! Great tips!
SharifaMcFarlane | Jul 22, 2011 | Reply
Good to know Michal.
SharifaMcFarlane | Jul 22, 2011 | Reply
@Ann
It doesn’t like flowers
SharifaMcFarlane | Jul 22, 2011 | Reply
Cheers Matt
SharifaMcFarlane | Jul 22, 2011 | Reply
Thanks Mtr