The azalea bush on the north side of this house was thriving. When the Japanese yew hedge had to go, azaleas seemed the obvious choice. They were not.
The Japanese yew bushes had not been kept trimmed by the previous homeowner. They became too large and cutting them back to a reasonable and practical size meant exposing too much bare stems. They were cut down and the stumps were dug out.
An azalea bush had been planted nearby and it grew quickly and bloomed richly. Seven new bushes were purchased in a variety of colors. The soil was cultivated, gleaned and fertilized with the acidic fertilizer azaleas are supposed to love.
Every year the azaleas all bloom. In ten years, they have not grown an inch. It seems strange, but the plants absolutely do not grow. Their older brother has been trimmed back many times, and is due for another haircut. But the seven siblings have remained the same size as when planted. (See the Slideshow.)
They are not diseased or suffering from insects. What is the problem?
The overhang of this house is wider than most. It is robbing the shrubs of rainwater and sunlight. While azaleas do not want a lot of direct sun. These are receiving the perfect amount of sun and water to stay green and bloom every year, but not grow larger.
So remember when positioning these beautiful flowering bushes that partial shade does not mean absolute shade and be sure they get natural precipitation. They do not like roofs.
