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Azalea japonica Mothers Day

Rhododendron (Azalea) japonica Moederdag
Japanese Azalea, Kurume Azalea

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Graden Merit
Remarkable, light red flowers in May. This low, spreading, dense shrub has beautiful glossy, dark green, evergreen foliage turning bronze in winter. Very cold-resistant, this Japanese Azalea should only be grown in acid (chalk-free), moist soil. Superb in flowerbeds or pots. Royal Horticultural Society award-winning variety.
Flower size
5 cm
Height at maturity
60 cm
Spread at maturity
90 cm
Exposure
Partial shade, Shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -20°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil
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Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to May, September to October
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Description

The 'Mother's Day' Japanese Azalea, also known as 'Moederdag', covered with small, beautiful, light satiny red flowers in May, really lives up to its name. This dense, low, spreading shrub, is distinctive because of its small clusters of remarkable, pinky-red flowers accentuated by an elegant, glossy, deep green foliage, which lasts through the winter, if it is not excessively cold. Very resistant to sharp frosts, this variety is a great choice and a perfect gift for Mother's Day. It can be grown in an ericaceous bed in a small Japanese-style garden or in a carefully chosen pot on the terrace.

 

The Rhododendron (x) obtusum 'Moederdag', commonly known as Japanese Azalea, is a plant from the large Ericaceae family, like the heathers. It is a small and very hardy Shrub that thrives in partial shade and lime-free soil that remains moist throughout the year. This hybrid Azalea is the result of a cross between the 'Professeur Wolters' and 'Hinodegiri' varieties. With an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society, England, this Azalea is highly valued for its excellent hardiness (-20°C (-4 °F)), easy cultivation, and vibrant flowers.

Vigorous but low and compact, 'Moederdag' forms a well-branched dome around 60 cm in height and 90 cm (35.4 in) in spread by the age of 10, depending on growing conditions. It generally flowers for 2 to 3 weeks in late May, sometimes earlier depending on the climate. Clusters of 2 to 3 funnel-shaped flowers, about 5 cm (2 in) wide, appear at the tips of the branches. Some are single, while others are semi-double, meaning they have a few extra petals in the centre. Somewhere between red and pink in colour, they have discreet, dark red flecks in the centre of the corolla and long red stamens. The foliage of this variety is generally evergreen. The small, glossy, elongated oval leaves are bright green in summer, turning bronze in winter with the cold. This slow-growing, little ericaceous shrub thrives in moist, humus-rich, aerated soil that is acidic.

Japanese Azaleas grace ericaceous beds all year round with their semi-evergreen foliage, and their charming and unusual blooms brighten up gardens in spring. Planted en masse along a path or at the front of an ericaceous bed, this 'Moederdag' variety will create a striking flush of red in spring. Plant it in a shady rockery, at the edge of a bed or in a container with Pieris, Kalmia, Heather, Chinese Azalea, Rhododendron, dwarf bamboo, Japanese grass Hakonechloa macra and Japanese Maples. Japanese Azaleas are sometimes grown in containers, but they can also be trained into Bonsai by specialists, making very fine specimens to show off in a Zen or Japanese-style setting.

Azalea japonica Mothers Day in pictures

Azalea japonica Mothers Day (Flowering) Flowering

Plant habit

Height at maturity 60 cm
Spread at maturity 90 cm
Habit Irregular, bushy
Growth rate slow

Flowering

Flower colour red
Flowering time May
Inflorescence Cyme
Flower size 5 cm
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour dark green

Botanical data

Genus

Rhododendron (Azalea)

Species

japonica

Cultivar

Moederdag

Family

Ericaceae

Other common names

Japanese Azalea, Kurume Azalea

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference860631

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Planting and care

Plant the Japanese Azalea Mother's Day ('Moederdag') in a semi-shaded or shaded position, protected from cold, drying winds, in light, moist, humus-rich, acid soil. Like all plants in the Ericaceous family, it does not tolerate calcareous soils or heavy soils waterlogged in winter. Dig a hole three times larger than the pot. Soak the root ball in lime-free water and plant it level with the surface of the soil, in a mixture of 1/4 coir, leaf mould, horticultural grit or perlite, and loam. Water generously and keep the soil moist in summer. Azaleas and Rhododendrons have a shallow root system and, as a result, they are sensitive to long periods of drought. That is why it is recommended to enrich the soil with humus, and water copiously during dry periods. Moreover, this root system is not very strong, which is why it is essential to lighten heavy soils with free-draining materials (horticultural grit, perlite, clay pellets) when planting. Apply a mulch of shredded pine bark at the base of the shrub every spring to maintain soil moisture and acidic pH. Maintenance consists of removing faded flowers in summer and clearing out dead branches. Yellowing of the leaves (chlorosis) in Rhododendron indicates poor iron uptake from the soil and can cause the premature death of the plant. While lime is often the cause, poorly drained soil or a root ball that is too deep can also explain the phenomenon.

Planting period

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to May, September to October

Intended location

Suitable for Shaded rockery, Woodland edge
Type of use Border, Edge of border, Container
Hardiness Hardy down to -20°C (USDA zone 6b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 3 per m2
Exposure Partial shade, Shade
Soil pH Acidic
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light)
Soil moisture Moist soil, well-drained, humus-rich.

Care

Pruning No pruning necessary
Soil moisture Moist soil
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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