Azalea Care

My azaleas always turn yellow or purple in winter. What's wrong?

Nothing is wrong. Like all evergreen plants, azaleas periodically lose some of their foliage, and the leaves may turn yellow, red, or purple before they fall. Often the only leaves that remain are those that surround the flower buds at the tips of the branches. This characteristic is linked to the genetics of the parents used to breed garden azaleas. The degree of leaf coloration or loss is a function of parentage and not the severity of the winter. In unusually cold winters, certain azaleas may lose more leaves than they would in mild winters.

Plants that continue to grow late into fall such as azaleas, boxwood and holly are susceptible to early freeze damage. When temperatures drop dramatically and the air’s moisture content is low, plants lose their moisture. Withholding water will not aid the plant in acclimating itself to winter, rather it may reduce the plants winter hardiness.

Afternoon sun exposure may also compound the problem ... further drying the plants. Damage from wind, sunscald and/or lack of moisture or “desiccation” injury becomes evident in the spring time. Don’t forget to water and remember soil should be moist but not waterlogged. This winter don't forget to protect: pipes, pets and plants!