The Azalea Shrub Can Brighten Up Even the Dreariest Garden

While it is often an easy task when landscaping to fill your front yard and back yard with a variety of green plants, it can be a chore to find just the right flowering plants to accent your home and garden.  One of the best options for those looking for a hearty shrub with enough flowers to make a whole beehive content for the year is the azalea shrub. Also known as one of the most notable members of the rhododendron family of shrubs, this beautiful flowering shrub is quickly becoming hugely popular throughout North America.

Unlike some of the other members of the rhododendron family, the azalea shrub does not grow its flowers in clumps, allowing a person to view the whole bush as being flowery instead of just certain clusters. During the seasons when the azalea begins to flower, it looks as if the entire bush is one colorful mass, giving a beautiful view to those who are both right next to the plant or blocks away. In most climates, the best time to view the brilliant colors of the azalea shrub is during one or two months in the springtime. 

One of the most unique aspects of the azalea is its willingness to crossbreed with other varieties of the same plant. For thousands of years, plant breeders have been creating a huge variety of hybrid azaleas, each with its own unique color, size and speed of growth. Over the years, this has culminated in over ten thousand different species of azalea shrub for people around the world to enjoy.

With so much variety, nearly every color of the rainbow has been translated into plant form, allowing you to highlight any aspect of your house or garden with an azalea shrub. As an added benefit, the azalea line of plants are incredibly easy to grow, and many do not require either regular pruning or fertilizer. They grow best if you keep them in a cool, shady part of your home or yard and they grow well in both pots or if you plant them in the ground.