Indoor rhododendron shrub - reproduction and care

The rhododendron (azalea) shrub is a lush flowering plant that is grown primarily outdoors. This is especially true of the eastern countries and North America, but some species are common in Australia, and some in the Far Eastern territory of Russia. At the same time, the azalea also takes root well at home as a potted plant, which makes you admire yourself during the entire flowering period.

What does a rhododendron shrub look like?

The genus Rhododendron belongs to the Heather family. In total, there are more than 800 species of representatives of this genus. Most often these are evergreen semi-deciduous / deciduous shrubs, but in nature there are also varieties in the form of trees.

Indoor rhododendron

Interesting! Many species of wild rhododendron are poisonous. Moreover, all their parts are saturated with poison - stems, leaves and even flowers. An excess of substances contained in them can even lead to death.

Common species and varieties

Rhododendron yellow: deciduous, pontus azalea

The most popular rhododendron species that are actively used as cultivated plants are the following:

Rhododendron Daursky.

Places of growth: Primorye, Korea, China, Eastern Siberia, Mongolia.

Growth form: wide, spreading, semi-leafy shrub up to 4 m high. The bark is gray, the leaves are small, up to 3 cm, scaly on the underside. Differs in increased frost resistance.

Flowering lasts about a month. Blooms in large, up to 4 cm in diameter, lilac flowers. It also has a hybrid undersized garden variety with brighter and larger flowers.

Daurian view

Rhododendron Adams.

Habitat: Far East, Tibet.

Evergreen shrub up to 2 m in height. The leaves are oblong, dark green in color, reaching 2 cm both in length and in width.

Pink flowers are small, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, but they look spectacular due to the fact that they are collected in inflorescences of 7-15 copies.

Rhododendron Adams

Azalea Sims.

Indoor variety that blooms in spring. However, breeders have already achieved winter flowering of some hybrids of this species.

Most often it is a shrub up to 50 cm in height, less often - a standard tree stretching up to 1.5 m.

The flowers are predominantly white, pink or red. Some hybrids are salmon-colored.

Azalea Simsa

Interesting! As soon as an azalea appears in the apartment, moths and ants immediately disappear from it.

Briefly about the history of appearance

The name Rhododendron is translated as "rose tree" (from the Greek "rhodon" - rose and "dendron" - tree).

Rhododendron Katevbinsky Grandiflorum

According to one of the legends widespread in Europe, it is believed that once a terrible fire broke out in the forest. The elves in a hurry tried to escape from him, they flew to the foot of the mountain and, tired, asked to sleep in the new forest. But no one wanted to accept strangers, except for one bush.

In the morning, the rested elves decided to thank him for his hospitality and presented him with flowers of incredible beauty. This is how this wonderful flower appeared.

Interesting! In Russia, rhododendron appeared only at the beginning of the twentieth century. He was brought as a gift to the king. Initially, it was grown only in the royal gardens and greenhouses.

Features of caring for rhododendron at home

Indoor rhododendron is a very demanding plant to care for, in order for it to bloom annually, it must be looked after especially carefully, observing a number of requirements. Even flower lovers with extensive experience cannot always cope with this.

Temperature

Caucasian rhododendron in the mountains: when it blooms

In nature, the flower grows in countries with cool climates, so it needs a low temperature at home.

The best option is + 15 ° С. If this is not possible, then position the pot with it so that the temperature does not rise above 22 ° C.

Lighting

When growing a rhododendron at home, you should also take into account its preferences for the location. It is best to put the pot with it on the north side, placing it in light partial shade.

Important! Azalea does not tolerate direct sunlight. The plant may die from this.

Watering

You need to water regularly, but avoiding stagnation of moisture in the pot.

The best solution would be the bottom irrigation option - through the pallet. It is necessary to pour water into it, let the bush stand for a couple of hours, then drain the rest of the water.

It is best to water it with melt or rainwater. If there is none, then well settled. You can periodically add a couple of drops of lemon to the water, the plant will like it.

Spraying

Spraying should be done daily, but from a long distance. Large drops of water should not fall on the leaves and flowers of the plant.

Humidity

The indoor flower rhododendron is extremely sensitive to air humidity. It must always be high.

To ensure the desired level, a vessel filled with wet moss or a bowl of water can be placed next to the pot.

Important! Most of the domestic rhododendrons died due to the high temperature and low humidity.

Priming

It is best to buy a special soil for growing azaleas in the store. Since the plant is demanding not only for external care, but also for the acid-base balance of the soil mixture.

The soil for rhododendron should be loose, light, moisture permeable and have an acidity level of at least 4-4.5 pH. To make it friable, you can add a little peat or river sand to the prepared soil.

Top dressing

You need to feed the azalea regularly twice a month. For this, a special complex of mineral fertilizers is purchased.

During the period of vegetative development and planting of buds, it is fed with a superphosphate solution (1 g of fertilizer per 1 liter of water).

Features of care in winter, dormant period

Most azaleas have a dormant period in late spring, after flowering ends.

At this time, it is cut off, transplanted, if necessary, all remnants of flowers are removed and standard care continues. The mode of watering, feeding and spraying rhododendron during the rest period does not change.

For the summer, you can take the pot with the plant into the garden, placing it in partial shade and preventing overheating.

In winter, during the flowering period, you need to carefully monitor the dying flowers and immediately remove them in order to give the opportunity to develop new, more powerful ones.

When and how rhododendron blooms

Azalea blooms only for 3-4 years of its life, therefore, if a young plant does not bloom, you should not worry and think that something is going wrong. You just need to wait for him to fully mature.

Types of flowers

Azalea flowers can be simple, double and semi-double, most often they are large, located one by one, the smaller ones are usually collected in lush inflorescences.

Azalea with simple flowers

On average, their diameter is 3-5 cm. Flowers of some varieties have a pleasant delicate smell.

Azalea with double flowers

Flower shapes

There are several options for the shape of rhododendron flowers, they depend solely on the species and variety.

The following forms are distinguished:

funnel-shaped;
tubular;
bell-shaped;
wheel-shaped.

Flowering period

The flowering period directly depends on the plant variety. There are varieties that bloom in winter, in November-December, and there are those that bloom in February-April.

Despite the fact that the splendor of the rhododendron during the flowering period defies description and wants to admire them as long as possible, it does not bloom for long - no more than 1.5 months at home. Unfortunately, the plant blooms only once a year.

Changes in care during flowering

No changes can be made for the rhododendron during its flowering period. But if there is a desire to slightly extend this period, you can gradually reduce the temperature in the room where the plant is located.

Important! During the period of budding and flowering, the pot cannot be transferred to a new place, this threatens to drop the buds or freeze their development.

Pruning a rhododendron shrub

It is the correct pruning of the azalea that is the key to its lush and long-term flowering.

The period of the procedure is May. At this time, new shoots are formed on the bush. They are pinched in such a way that only 4-5 leaves remain.

If there is a desire to grow a standard tree, then it is necessary to cut off all shoots, except for the most powerful and strong one. It is tied to a support and when the desired height is reached, the top is pinched. The tree will begin to branch. In order for it to acquire a spherical shape, it must be periodically turned in different directions towards the light.

For a bushy form, you can simply cut off all the shoots up to 10 cm annually and completely get rid of weak, diseased shoots.

How to propagate a rhododendron

The question of how to propagate rhododendron at home arises before many growers. There are several main ways to propagate this beautiful plant.

Germinating seeds

Germinating seeds is the most difficult method that only professionals use. For beginners, it is unlikely that something will work out.

Attention! When buying seeds, you should pay attention to the collection period (no more than two years) and the absence of damage. Ideal if the seeds were harvested by yourself.

Planting time: early to mid-spring. With earlier sowing, additional lighting with phytolamps is required until 12-hour daylight hours are provided.

Step-by-step instructions for sowing homemade rhododendron seeds:

A drainage layer is poured onto the bottom of the container where the seeds will germinate.
A substrate is poured over it so that it does not reach 1-2 cm to the edge. The substrate is leveled, but not compacted.
The top layer of the soil is disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Seeds are laid out in neat even rows on the substrate that has dried out from above. The distance between them must be at least 1 cm.
The soil is moistened with a spray bottle.
The vessel is covered with foil or glass.

For seed germination, it is necessary to provide them with long daylight hours, high temperature and regular spraying. About a month after sowing, the first, very weak shoots appear. But this process can drag on for a longer period.

After the sprouts have grown a little, it is necessary to remove them from the greenhouse state and sharply reduce the temperature to 10-12 ° C. This is quite dangerous, but necessary. At this time, only bottom watering can be done. When the first leaves appear, the plant dives.

Rooting cuttings

Reproduction of rhododendrons by cuttings is the most popular type of reproduction at home.

The grafting process can be carried out from May to August. A slightly lignified strong stalk up to 10 cm in size is cut off. The cut is processed with root growth stimulants. Then it is vertically planted in the soil for azaleas, with a depth of about 2-3 cm.

Greenhouse conditions are created using a glass jar or film.The greenhouse is periodically removed for ventilation, watering and spraying.

In a month, rooting will occur, but the first flowering will have to wait at least two years.

Azalea cuttings

Air layering

For this method, an adult tree with a large number of young, flexible layers is used.

The required number of shoots is selected, an incision is made on them about 5 cm long and bent into a shallow groove previously dug (3 cm). Places of contact with the soil should be completely free of leaves and buds.

Attention! The roots appear in 1-2 months, but the young plant can be planted from the mother plant only the next year. Flowering will not come earlier than in 2 years. This method can be used either from May to August.

These are the main options for how you can propagate rhododendrons at home. Each grower chooses for himself exactly how these beautiful shrubs will reproduce in his particular. There are other ways, for example, by dividing a bush. It is most often used when transplanting adult plants. You can also try rooting the leaf. The principle is the same as in cuttings, but the azalea will take longer to take root, and you will have to wait at least three years for flowering.

Rhododendron transplant at home

A rhododendron transplant is carried out immediately after the end of the flowering period.

Its main purpose is to check the root system, remove dried and damaged roots and dead peduncles.

Young azaleas should be replanted annually, adult bushes - every two to three years.

Possible growing problems

Since the rhododendron shrub is an extremely whimsical plant, there can be many problems with it. He will instantly react to any insufficiently comfortable conditions.

Drops buds and leaves

This most often indicates improper care. First of all, you need to create the most comfortable temperature for it and not dry out the air.

By correcting these shortcomings, most likely, the plant will turn green again, and the development of the buds will continue. You can also increase the feeding, since there is a possibility that there is not enough nutrients in the soil.

Diseases

Chlorosis.

Symptoms: leaves turn yellow for no reason.

Solution: increase the acidity of the water with which the plant is watered. Do not put it in too warm rooms, it is better to gradually lower the temperature to 15 ° C. Can be sprayed with magnesium sulfate

Necrosis.

Symptoms: the entire main stem dies off.

Cause: the air temperature is too low.

Solution: the leaves cannot be saved, you need to completely cut them off and raise the temperature in the room.

Fungal diseases.

Symptoms: Appear in different ways - can cause root rot, problems with leaves or stems.

Solution: you need to think about what mistakes were made when caring for the plant and fix them.

Pests

Rhododendron bug.

It is a small insect with wings, about 3 mm in size. On the reverse side of the leaves, he lays larvae, which, in the process of development, suck out all the juices from the leaves.

Azalea moth.

Its caterpillars devour leaves and pupate on them. To get rid of the problem, you can spray the plant with sulfur and remove any damaged leaves.

Ticks.

Attention! This plant can be parasitized by three of their species - red, strawberry and spiderweb. Their embryos and larvae devour absolutely all parts of the plant. It is not always easy to find them, since they choose the back side of the sheet as their place of dislocation.

From all types of pests that may appear on the rhododendron bush, special insecticides sold in flower and gardening shops will help get rid of.