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The Best Azalea Plants for Zone 9
The Best Azalea Plants for Zone 9. With mild winters that get no colder than 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zone 9 also tends to have a long, hot summer. Azaleas best adapted for this zone need little chill in winter to produce their flower buds, but dappled shade in summer reduces their soil moisture...
With mild winters that get no colder than 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zone 9 also tends to have a long, hot summer. Azaleas best adapted for this zone need little chill in winter to produce their flower buds, but dappled shade in summer reduces their soil moisture requirements. American cities in USDA Zone 9 include Houston, Orlando, Corpus Christi and Sacramento.
American Native Azaleas
American woody plant expert Dr. Michael Dirr of the University of Georgia notes many native azaleas grow well in USDA Zone 9. With origins in the Southeast, they tolerate high humidity and excel in humus-rich, acid soils. An excellent azalea for this zone is the Piedmont azalea (Rhododendron canescens), including cultivars White Canescens, Brooke and Varnadoes Phlox Pink. Florida azalea (Rhododendron austrinum) is another native deciduous azalea worth growing. Alabama azalea (Rhododendron alabamense) is best in the chillier winter areas of USDA Zone 9.
Confederate Azaleas
Confederate hybrid azaleas derived from the Florida azalea crossed with Exbury azaleas by horticulturists in Alabama. Confederate azaleas demonstrate good tolerance to humidity with lower risks of leaf mildew and plant rot. Examples of some cultivars in this azalea group are Admiral Semmes, Colonel Mosby and Stonewall Jackson.
Encore Azaleas
About two dozen different cultivars comprise the Encore group of azaleas, the result of numerous hybrid crosses. These azaleas are known for their springtime flowering followed by a hiatus in the heat of midsummer. Then in late summer through autumn they bloom again. Names of some Encore azaleas are Autumn Amethyst, Autumn Royalty and Autumn Ruby. They grow better in the chillier winter areas of USDA Zone 9, where temperatures dip down to 20 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit each winter.
Rutherford Hybrid Azaleas
Dirr also notes that the evergreen leaves and compact growth habits make Rutherford hybrid azaleas popular in Gulf Coast gardens. Names of a few cultivars in this group are Red Ruffles, Pink Ruffles, White Gish and Dorothy Gish according to the Learn2Grow plant database.
Satsuki Azaleas
Native to and further bred by horticulturists in Japan, Satsuki azaleas are evergreen and have low, sprawling growth habits. Flowering is in late spring, which is delayed when compared to many other azaleas for USDA Zone 9. Dozens of cultivars exist, including ones with either English or Japanese names: Gumpo Pink, Coral Cascade, Juko, Minato, Osakazuki and Shinnyo-no-tsuki.
Southern Indica Azaleas
Dirr regards the hybrid Southern Indica azaleas as "time-tested and time-honored" plants for the American South. Evergreen and adaptable to shifting sunlight as well as shade under tall trees, their flower colors range from white to purple, occurring in mid to late spring. Commonly grown Southern Indica cultivars are Formosa, G.G. Gerbing and George L. Taber. In fact, Southern Indica azaleas need so little winter chill to bloom that they often grow well even in USDA Zone 10 where temperatures dip to between 30 and 39 degrees Fahrenheit.
