Japanese azalea Schneeglanz

The 'Japanese Azalea or Azalea japonica 'Schneeglanz' is a variety with an upright and bushy habit, excellent hardiness and exceptional white flowering. On this beautiful evergreen bush adorned with light green foliage, large pure white funnel-shaped flowers delicately speckled with yellow-green bloom in spring. This variety, appreciated for its ornamental qualities and performance in the garden, requires the following growing conditions: a semi-shaded exposure and a well-drained, limestone-free soil that remains moist throughout the year.

The Rhododendron obtusum is now considered to be a hybrid of Rhododendron sataense, R. kiusinum, and R. kaempferi. It is a primarily evergreen shrub belonging to the Ericaceae family. All of these perfectly hardy plants originate from Japan, China, and Korea. It is characterised by a dazzling spring flowering and foliage that is mostly evergreen. These azaleas have two types of foliage: the spring foliage, which is thin and relatively wide, and the foliage that forms in late summer, which is thicker and smaller. The spring leaves fall in autumn, while most leaves produced in late summer will remain throughout winter. 'Schneeglanz' is a particularly floriferous cultivar of medium size, with a bushy and upright habit. It reaches a height of approximately 90 cm (35in) and has a spread of 1.10 m (4ft) at maturity. Its flowering occurs for about three weeks, usually in May, depending on the climate. The large trumpet-shaped flowers, 6.5 cm (3in) long, are a brilliant white with green speckles at the centre. They are gathered in generous terminal clusters that almost completely hide the vegetation. The foliage consists of simple, ovate, lanceolate leaves with entire margins arranged alternately on the branches. Their size ranges from 4 to 5 cm (2in) in length, and they are a relatively light green colour with a matte finish. Rhododendrons have a shallow root system that should never lack moisture but dislike stagnant water that suffocates them.

Japanese azaleas thrive in cool climates with pronounced winters, planted in humus-bearing, acidic soil, such as enriched ericaceous soil with compost. They are beautiful evergreen shrubs for borders or flowering pots, attractive all year round in these conditions. They happily accompany heathers, Pieris, Japanese maples, or their relatives, Chinese Azaleas, which change their appearance throughout the seasons. They can also be paired with Japanese camellias and their graceful autumn-flowering cousins, often with a fragrance, the hybrids of C.sasanqua. This variety will also thrive on a patio or balcony in a carefully chosen large pot with suitable substrate and non-limestone water for watering.