Rhododendron, also known as azalea plants have beautifully vibrant and colorful blossoms.
Azaleas have become the “royalty of your garden” and will give you years of pleasure with their delightful shades which may include pinks, purples, reds, oranges, and whites.
These vivid displays make Azaleas a wonderful and welcoming addition to your garden.
However, it’s important to know how to take care of your azalea because there are various conditions that can stress out your azalea plant.
One of the most common early indicators of stress on an Azalea are curling leaves. So lets covers the common reasons why the Azalea’s leaves are curling.
Here are some reasons for curling leaves on Azaleas:
- Water mold
- Not enough watering
- Leaf gall
- Frost damage
- Too much sunlight
1. Water Mold
Water mold, also known as phytophthora, thrives in poorly drained or wet conditions.
This causes azalea leaves to curl inward and droop. Roots start to appear soggy or blackened, and the outer portion of the root easily pulls away from the inner portion. This is called “crown rot.”
A sign that indicates crown rot is the lower portions of the stem will have a brown discoloration near the soil line. This disease is common among azaleas that are planted too deep.
This fungus is almost incurable; even chemical controls are ineffective once the symptoms appear in the landscape.
When you purchase azalea starts, make sure you are purchasing from a quality nursery, and check the plants carefully for mold and symptoms of crown rot.
Avoid plants that lack normal green color, appear wilted in the morning, or have dark, discolored roots.
Make sure to plant the Azaleas in well-drained and well-aerated soil.
In the case of heavier clay soil, the soil should be improved with organic plant soil before you plant your azalea starts. Avoid planting in areas where water can collect around plant roots.
Azaleas should be planted at a shallow depth since their root system is fairly shallow. This helps to combat water mold.
2. Not Enough Watering
Much like any other plant, if an azalea doesn’t get enough water it will wilt.
As Azaleas have a fairly shallow root system, azaleas need a regular supply of water. You either have to turn on the sprinklers or get busy with a hose.
To help keep water in the soil, ensure that you have at least two inches of mulch around your Azalea.
Generally, using a pine bark mulch can help to create the acidic soil azaleas prefer. If you find that your soil still isn’t quite acidic enough, try adding used coffee grounds.
You may need to replenish every few months to keep the acidity level where Azaleas prefer it to be.
Azaleas are not a drought-hardy plant, so if you live in an arid climate, make sure that you plan to water them frequently.
3. Leaf Gall
Leaf gall is another fungal disease that occurs in the spring.
Native azaleas are more susceptible to this fungus than the hybrid ones. When buying azalea plants, you can ask at the nursery if plants in your area are prone to Leaf Gall.
If so, then you can choose to purchase hybrid azaleas to reduce the chances of your plants becoming infected with this fungus.
In April and May, leaves and buds of infected plants can develop distorted growth; leaves become thickened, curled, fleshy, and turn pale green to white.
As time passes, the galls start to get covered with white powdery substance and turn brown and hard.
This disease rarely requires chemical control; if only a few plants are affected then consider picking and destroying the galls. If the fungus is caught early enough, you can pick off the affected leaves to stop it from spreading to your other plants.
If chemical control is necessary on azaleas, consider using mancozeb or chlorothalonil fungicide sprays.
4. Frost Damage
Environmental conditions are a huge factor with most azalea problems.
Frost damage is a major cause of curling leaves on Azaleas since these plants do not like frost. To prevent frost damage, avoid planting Azaleas too early in the season.
Azaleas are neither annual nor perennial; they are shrubs and will stop producing flowers once the weather gets too cold.
To lengthen the season and stop the azalea leaves curling, you can cover with plastic or burlap when the weather begins to get cold, or if you have a late spring freeze.
However, you will likely experience a dormant season, where the leaves curl and then drop off, unless the shrub is in a greenhouse.
Some azaleas do well in colder climates, so if you live in a colder area, make sure to look for plants bred specifically for your climate.
You’ll still experience a dormant season where the azalea leaves curl and drop off, but your shrub will have a longer overall lifespan and you will likely have a longer flowering season.
5.Too Much Light
Azalea plants thrive in partial sun.
If your azalea leaves are curling then you may have planted them in an area of your garden where they are receiving too much sun.
For this reason, Azaleas are great along fence lines, near patios, or next to your home, where they are likely to receive shade from the sun. This way the Azalea can add their vibrant, colorful beauty and still only receive the partial sun they need.
Since most Azalea varieties only bloom once a year, you may want to look at varieties such as the Autumn Royalty Encore, that flower more than once, or buy several varieties of azalea in order to enjoy flowers throughout the spring, summer, and fall!
Final Thoughts
Azaleas are very easy to take care of as many varieties have been bred to thrive in different climates.
The water needs may make Azaleas seem like a high-maintenance plant, but they rarely need care such as dead heading or fertilizing. They are a stunning ornamental shrub that let you add a burst of color to your yard without a ton of maintenance.
You may experience azalea leaves curling due to fungal infections or environmental changes, but these are issues that are easily mitigated.
