Japanese azaleas: best varieties

Japanese Azalea 'Moederdag'

Japanese azalea ‘Moederdag’ is remarkable for its beautiful light red flowering that appears in May. Its name translates as “Mother’s Day”. Its glossy dark green foliage is evergreen depending on winter severity. Leaves turn bronze in cold weather. Very hardy, it will tolerate frosts down to -20 °C. With its dense, spreading habit, this azalea will reach 60 cm in height and 90 cm in width at ripeness. This lovely variety has been awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Pretty light red flowering in spring

Japanese azalea 'Koromo Shikibu'

With its delicate lavender-coloured flowers that appear in March–April, azalea ‘Koromo Shikibu’ is sure to surprise. In certain climates it may even flower again in autumn! This millennia-old Japanese azalea is mysterious, as its origin is unknown. Its dark green evergreen leaves turn reddish-purple in winter. With a spreading habit, this azalea will reach 60–80 cm in height and 80 cm to 1 m in width. Hardy down to -10 °C, it will thrive in slightly acidic soil in partial shade.

A striking lavender-blue colour

Japanese Azalea 'Al's Picotee'

Japanese azalea ‘Al’s Picotee’ stands out for abundant flowering from April to May with its double pale pink flowers tinged with lilac on a white background. Its dark green evergreen foliage will turn bronze in cold weather. Not very frost-sensitive, this azalea is hardy down to -15°C, even -26°C according to the American Rhododendron Society. Of modest size, with its dense, rounded habit, this azalea will reach 60 to 70 cm tall and 90 cm wide at ripeness. It will thrive in partial shade in your garden.

Abundant flowering with delicate double flowers of the Al’s Picotee azalea

⇒ Discover our selection of 10 Japanese azaleas with pink flowers.

Japanese azalea 'Silver Queen'

The distinctive feature of the Japanese azalea ‘Silver Queen’ is its evergreen foliage, variegated green and white. Its beautiful fuchsia-pink flowering will provide contrast to this attractive foliage between April and May. This small bush with a compact, rounded habit thrives in partial shade, in slightly acidic, fresh, humus-bearing and well-aerated soil. Its slow growth will reach 50 cm in all directions at ripeness. Its hardiness allows it to tolerate down to -12 °C in the garden.

The sublime combination of variegated foliage and fuchsia-pink flowers

Japanese azalea 'Eucharis'

Japanese azalea ‘Eucharis’ is prized for its pretty clusters of large pure white flowers with a chartreuse-green heart, which appear between April and May. Its pretty evergreen apple-green foliage in spring brings freshness to the garden. This bush thrives in partial shade, in cool, humus-bearing, well-aerated soil with a tendency towards acidity. This azalea is hardy down to -15 °C. At ripeness, it will form a dense bush 70 cm in all directions.

Heart of ‘Eucharis’ white flowers is slightly tinged with green, adding freshness

Japanese azalea 'Peggy Ann'

‘Peggy Ann’ is a remarkable Japanese azalea with its abundant spring flowering which consists of a multitude of small white flowers edged with bright pink and touched with mauve. The evergreen leaves, dark green and glossy, contrast with this spectacular flowering. This small azalea, of compact habit, will reach at ripeness 60 cm in all directions. Very hardy and resistant down to -15 °C, it will thrive in sun or partial shade in fresh, slightly acidic soil.

Lovely small white flowers edged with bright pink

Japanese azalea 'Ho Oden'

Charm of this Japanese azalea ‘Ho Oden’ lies in its magnificent flowers tinted pale pink and maculate with intense violet on upper petals. They flower between April and May depending on climate. Its evergreen foliage is glossy dark green, even during winter. This azalea forms a small groundcover shrub with a rounded, compact habit, reaching 70 cm in spread at ripeness. It prefers partial shade in fresh, humus-bearing, well-aerated, slightly acidic soil. Its hardiness allows it to withstand -12 °C.

Pretty flowers tinted pale pink and maculate with intense violet

Japanese azalea 'Purple Splendor'

In May, Japanese azalea ‘Purple Splendor’ is almost completely covered with pretty small flowers of a vivid magenta-violet. The abundance of flowers gives the impression of double blooms. This azalea will do well in partial shade for colourful flowering. Sun exposure can fade flowers to near-white. Its glossy dark green foliage is generally evergreen and will take on lovely bronze, even burgundy, hues in cold weather. It will tolerate temperatures down to -10 °C. This azalea will form a pretty dome measuring at ripeness 1 m high by 1.3 m wide.

A remarkable abundance of vivid magenta-violet flowers

Learn more

• Find our full range of Japanese azaleas here
• Discover everything you need to know about azaleas: planting, cultivation, pruning and care.
• Our advice sheet on how to choose an azalea
• Our advice sheet on heather soil: how to use it effectively in the garden
• Find our article on diseases and parasitic pests of Japanese azalea