Azalea mollis White Frills

Azalea 'White Frills' is a pretty variety of Chinese Azalea that is very rare in cultivation. Beautiful in stature, it is distinct because of its generous, fairly early spring blooms, consisting of clusters of very ruffled, semi-double, white flowers, enhanced by a small, slightly greenish-yellow flare. This variety also produces attractive autumn foliage in shades of coppery orange. Unlike Japanese Azaleas, this semi-evergreen plant is very hardy. Too little known and too little used, deciduous Azaleas are very graceful plants growing in chalk-free soil, with a whole host of qualities so do not hesitate to plant it in the garden or in a large pot on the terrace!

The origins of the 'White Frills' Azalea remain a bit of a mystery, and there is little information in the literature regarding its classification within the various groups of hybrid Azaleas. This shrub, like the Rhododendron molle which is the parent of most deciduous Azaleas grown in gardens, is a member of the heather or Ericaceae family, native to central and eastern China. Some sources indicate that 'White Frills' was developed before 1987 by Amann in Maryland, USA.

'White Frills' is a rather slow-growing shrub. It has a slightly loose habit in its early years, then its branches fill out and spread over time, giving the plant a gracefully spreading and bushy appearance. At maturity, this Azalea will reach about 1.30m (4 ft 4 in) in height and 1.20m (3 ft 11 in) in spread. It flowers over a long period from April-May, depending on the climate, at the same time as the young leaves appear on the branches. The flowers, which appear almost double, are 4cm (1.6 in) wide, have a very ruffled lily-like shape and are gathered in generous terminal clusters. They emerge from pale yellow buds and are adorned with 5 long, arched yellow stamens that contribute to the beauty of the flowers. The upper petal is adorned with a discreet yellow-green spot. The foliage, deciduous to evergreen, depending on the climate, is composed of simple, oval-lanceolate leaves with smooth edges, arranged alternately on the branches. They vary from 5 to 10 cm (2 to 3.9 inches) in length, and their dark green summer colour turns to coppery-orange in October. Azaleas and Rhododendrons have a shallow root system that always needs to be kept moist, but they also dislike waterlogged soil which would suffocate the roots.

Deciduous Chinese Azaleas have fewer requirements than evergreen, Japanese Azaleas: they are very hardy and tolerate sunny positions, and even dry soil on occasion, depending on the hybrids. However, they give their best in cool climates, with distinct winters, planted in humus-rich, fertile, lime-free soil. They are beautiful shrubs for borders, with an attractive, informal habit, blooming twice a year. They are the perfect accompaniment to Japanese maples, which also change colour with the seasons, as well as Japanese camellias, or their graceful, often fragrant, autumn-flowering cousins, the Camellia sasanqua hybrids. They can also be grown in a large, carefully chosen pot, in suitable soil, and watered with lime-free water. The undeniable beauty of deciduous Azaleas merits the changes needed to create the conditions they prefer.