Azalea Luteum Orange
A Google search for Azalea Luteum will bring up images of a yellow flowering deciduous shrub. However, it may be difficult to find, but there is an Azalea Luteum Orange out there
Azalea Luteum Orange in our garden
I purchased this Azalea Luteum Orange from one of the local garden centres seven years ago.
For whatever reason, it wasn’t happy in the front garden. The shrub would have a few flowers every Spring, but never put on any growth.
After five years, I decided to dig it up and plant it in a good-sized pot using ericaceous compost. I found a good position for it in the courtyard and it is now thriving.
Plant Profile for Azalea Luteum Orange
Before we sing its praises, the orange variety is not easy to find. It is listed on Glendoicks website but currently out of stock.
Hardiness
Fully hardy in the UK
Flowers
The orange scented flowers open in May and slowly fade and become more yellow.
Height
Mature height is 3/4 ft, which is considerably shorter than the yellow form.
Position
Full sun/partial shade
Soil
To thrive, Azalea, like Rhododendrons, require acidic soil. Deciduous azaleas will do well in pots but do use a good quality ericaceous compost.
I am still a little puzzled as to why this orange form of Luteum is so elusive. Have you ever come across it? Maybe check out Glendoick and see if it will become available again soon.
We did actually have the regular Azalea Luteum in our Aberdeen garden.
I mentioned it in a post which I published sixteen years ago, that was two years after starting Aberdeen Gardening. How time flies.
Thank you for the kind comments
This is a pleasure to read; advisably I would like to ensure you do! You can be so encouraged to see how well your Azalea Luteum Orange was doing after being very weak. I had forgotten how much moving it to a new venue and swapping the soil made a difference! These kinds of stories are so revealing of how little differences make such a big difference for plants. Now I’m very curious to see if I can track down this lovely orange variety for my own garden. It must be such a thrill to watch it blossom!
Unfortunately I have never actually seem A.luteum Orange, but I do remember a bank of A. luteum at I think could have been at Larachmohor, the scent was so powerful it could almost knock you over!
This post was a delightful read! The journey of your Azalea Luteum Orange from a struggling plant to a thriving beauty is inspiring. It’s fascinating how changing its location and soil made such a difference. I’m now curious to see if I can find this elusive orange variety for my own garden!