Colorful Flowering Plants that Work Well Around Azaleas

If you are like me, you wonder what to put around those azalea shrubs to keep the landscape colorful. Azaleas are notorious for loving very acidic soils, even being mulched with pine needles and bark. To keep the color rich and vibrant around these shrubs, you'll need some pretty flowering plants that will grow and thrive in acidic soils. Always check your soil and make sure you are planting in acidic pH, as planting these examples in alkaline soil will surely cause them disease and illness, perhaps even death.

Gardenia (Gardenia augusta)

This shrub has fragrant flowers, evergreen leaves, and colorful blooms. It grows six to eight feet high with glossy leaves. There is a long bloom season, from mid spring until the early summer. Flowers are white, aging to a cream-yellow. Gardenias like to grow in partial shade to full sun conditions with a moist or average soil. It can be propagated by cuttings and is hardy in USDA hardiness zones of eight through ten.

Camellia (Camellia japonica)

With large flowers, the camellia has evergreen shiny green leaves. It will grow to about 20 feet in height, but will be slow in getting there. Flowers have many different shades, depending on cultivar selected, but most are red or pink. Camellias like to grow in moist soils with a partial shade lighting condition. Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings or by air-layering. It has a hardiness in USDA hardiness zones of six through nine.

Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

This perennial has evergreen leaves and an unique flower. With colors of orange and blue, these blooms look like a bird's head. Leaves are leathery and large. It will grow up to three feet high. Bird of paradise grows best in nutrient rich soils and in bright sun. It will need a good bit of water. Propagate by clump division or by seed. It is hardy in USDA hardiness zones of nine through 11.

Sasanqua Camellia (Camellia sasanqua)

A drought tolerant and fragrant flowering plant, the sasanqua camellia has many different shapes and colors depending on cultivar. Typical heights range from four to 15 feet high. It has many fall and early winter flowers. Leaves are glossy, rich green, and are evergreen. The sasanqua camellia prefers broken shade and adequate water. It is tolerant of full sun and of drought. Propagate by cuttings that have had rooting compound applied to them. It is hardy in USDA hardiness zones of seven through nine.

These fine examples all need acidic soil. They have interesting blooms and nice rich foliage. These make great compliments to go around azaleas in the landscape, providing more choices for your acidic soil locations.

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Source: Floridata