Azalea shrub issue - Ask Extension
My lovely Azalea, which is over 10 years old, 8ft tall, and bloomed beautifully this spring. It has been a traffic stopper for the last 4-5 years wit...
Knowledgebase
Azalea shrub issue #884386
Asked September 07, 2024, 10:35 AM EDT
My lovely Azalea, which is over 10 years old, 8ft tall, and bloomed beautifully this spring. It has been a traffic stopper for the last 4-5 years with wonderful apricot blooms that brighten the shaded NE corner of my house. It is a good 10ft away from my house and 8 ft from my neighbor's house. It looks terrible after soooo much rain. Since the blooms finished, the leaves are dull, not their usual bright green color, and actually seem almost a little crispy. It does likely get some of the water that runs off my neighbor's house, but I really can't do anything about that issue. WILL it recover? Is there any treatment I should do before the freeze?
Ramsey County Minnesota
Expert Response
Pamela, Thanks for the question. Without seeing your azalea leaves , I am not sure what could be the cause. The wet cool spring has caused a lot of fungal leaf issues. I don't know if that is the case with your plant. If so, it will recover next spring. Not likely too much water, if has been growing in that spot for 10 years.
I did come across a spider mite that likes azaleas. Check out the link below and see if this might (no pun intended) be the issue.
https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/spider-mites
Paul - Master Gardener volunteer
Thank you! I was thinking it was likely fungal, but did not really know if azaleas were susceptible to it. I will be sure to remove leaf litter as much as possible once they drop. I will look closely to check for spider mites just in case, and treat it if that is what is going on.
Pam
