Episode
Ep. 251 Celebrating the Year of the Azalea and Talking How to Grow Them | #GoodGrowing
- Podcast
- Good Growing
- Published
- May 8, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2959
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://share.transistor.fm/s/59d872c7
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Summary
The National Garden Bureau has named 2026 the Year of the Azalea! Ken, Emily, and Chris are digging into what makes these colorful (and sometimes finicky) plants so popular. In this episode of the Good Growing podcast, we break down everything you need to know about azaleas—from their connection to rhododendrons to how to grow them successfully in the Midwest. If you’ve ever wondered why azaleas struggle in Illinois landscapes (or if they’re even worth trying), this episode is for you. Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/Tvg7VoiBmgc 00:30 Hey Ken 01:07 Hey Emily! 01:42 Topic of the week: Year of the azalea according to the National Garden Bureau 03:13 Rhododendron vs, Azalea, which is which? 05:44 Groups of azalea: Tsutsusi and pentanthera 07:19 Native deciduous azalea vs non-native evergreen azalea 07:42 History of breeding azalea 10:16 Growing requirement for azalea 14:52 Site selection and species/cultivar selection 18:59 Insects and disease challenges with azaleas 22:24 Pollinators and azalea 23:51 Phytopthora root rot and soil pH issues 25:10 Back to pollinators on azalea 26:06 Describing 10 azaleas native to Eastern North America 27:08 Alabama Azalea 29:12 Coastal Azalea 30:11 Florida Azalea 32:13 Flame Azalea 33:04 Piedmont or Mountain Azalea 33:35 Oconee Azalea (also goes by Peidmont azalea in some areas but is a different species) 34:14 Pinxterbloom Azalea 35:13 Rochelle/Early/Plumleaf Azalea 36:44 Pink Shell Azalea 37:28 Swamp Azalea 39:19 Would we grow azaleas in our yard? 42:34 What type of azalea might you find in an Illinois nursery? 44:32 Azaleas at Augusta Golf Course Contact us! Chris Enroth: [email protected] Ken Johnson: [email protected] Emily Swihart [email protected] Like what you hear? Subscribe for more gardening tips, plant talk, and…