Azaleas in NH

Dad207 · 05-12-2021, 07:30 PM

Our primary home is in the south, and we love our azaleas that do so well in the shade. There are zone 5-6 varietals, but my neighbor (NH native) says doesn't plant them because they don't survive well in NH. What's your experience? What variety?

SAB1 · 05-12-2021, 08:10 PM

My take. He’s right. It’s to cold. If you try it place south or southwest side.

upthesaukee · 05-12-2021, 09:10 PM

We have a bush that is close to our front door. It receives a lot of sunlight from mid-morning until near sunset. Flourishes every year.

Dave

tis · 05-13-2021, 05:05 AM

I have several, some on the north and some on the south side. Some get more sun, some get less. They all do well. I don't know the type, maybe they are made for NH?

AC2717 · 05-13-2021, 08:08 AM

we have a few and they come back every year, some in full sun, another in shade half the day

Descant · 05-13-2021, 09:21 AM

My azaleas on the south side (full sun) of the house do better than those in shade or on the north side. I have had good luck with Rhododendrons, both wild and domestic, standard and dwarf. Andromeda and Mountain Laurel also do well. Andromeda in particular thrives on the north side of my house. White flower, red/green leaves. For the most part, if you buy from a local NH garden center, you should be OK. Emphasis on LOCAL NH garden center. They have to sell product that works, not as an adjunct to appliances, wall paper, etc where the same seasonal stock goes to 100 stores throughout New England.
Plants with exposure to lots of winter winds may need to be protected in the winter.

phoenix · 05-13-2021, 10:31 AM

mine are against front windows facing east and they flourish every year

Merrymeeting · 05-14-2021, 07:45 AM

In our experience, unless they are Zone 5 or even 4, they won't do well. We have some that have done well on the east side of our house where they are protected from the fierce winds that come off the lake. But the same species on the west side either struggle or don't make it at all.

Bottom line, Zone 5 plantings don't do well unless planted in a protected area.

Cindido · 05-14-2021, 01:23 PM

We have a huge azalea in front of our house facing Northeast - it's in full bloom right now and it's spectacular. Comes back every year.

map · 05-16-2021, 07:57 PM

The builder put 2 in front of our house- north/north west facing- and they have been doing great 2 seasons in a row.

tis · 05-17-2021, 04:59 AM

As we rode around the lake yesterday in the boat, I saw tons of them in blooming glory.

TheProfessor · 05-17-2021, 06:43 PM

Rose of Sharon.

Visited a well known large nursery for plants/trees/shrubs/flowers and such.
Spoke with the owner.

Don't carry any Rose of Sharon because they do not survive in New Hampshire.

Purchased mail order Rose of Sharon 20 years ago and later. All of these mail order Rose of Sharon are doing just fine. With nice flowers later in season.

Keel Holler · 06-04-2021, 10:29 PM

Wow, I don’t agree with your neighbor at all. Azaleas are everywhere here. I mentioned to a landscaper one time that I liked “PJM” and they cringed- too common!

Here in central NH, I have azaleas facing north and east under oaks in shade and part shade, facing west in full sun, and facing east under white pines in part sun. All of them thrive with no effort from me.

I’m not sure where you are exactly, but here around the lake, I’d stick with zone 5 as a pretty hard cut off. You can get away with zone 6 sometimes- I have a few. But while they limp along, they don’t flourish. I don’t bother with winter protection though. If you do, you might be able to push the horticultural zone a bit. The local nurseries only carry zone 5 or hardier (except annuals, of course.) And high quality mail order companies will typically void warranties if shipping plants to addresses here, if the plants aren’t hardy to zone 5 or colder.

I agree with Descant- if you buy from a local nursery, you’ll be fine. The local big box stores routinely sell zone 6 plants. (Plus their plants are often root bound or otherwise compromised.)

Another thing to consider- azaleas like acid soil- maybe that’s why your neighbor was disappointed? It’s easy enough to test and fix. The good news- I think you can certainly have azaleas!

Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

05-12-2021, 07:30 PM	#1
Dad207 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Now residing in Echo Shores, Alton NH, originally from Baltimore MD. Posts: 112 Thanks: 193 Thanked 63 Times in 30 Posts	Azaleas in NH Our primary home is in the south, and we love our azaleas that do so well in the shade. There are zone 5-6 varietals, but my neighbor (NH native) says doesn't plant them because they don't survive well in NH. What's your experience? What variety?

05-12-2021, 09:10 PM	#3
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,597 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,455 Thanked 1,979 Times in 1,080 Posts	We have a bush We have a bush that is close to our front door. It receives a lot of sunlight from mid-morning until near sunset. Flourishes every year. Dave __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

05-13-2021, 08:08 AM	#5
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,574 Thanks: 753 Thanked 354 Times in 266 Posts	we have a few and they come back every year, some in full sun, another in shade half the day __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

05-13-2021, 10:31 AM	#7
phoenix Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: phoenix and moultonboro Posts: 1,551 Thanks: 60 Thanked 275 Times in 193 Posts	mine are against front windows facing east and they flourish every year __________________ it's tough to make predictions specially about the future

05-14-2021, 07:45 AM	#8
Merrymeeting Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Merrymeeting Lake, New Durham Posts: 2,226 Thanks: 302 Thanked 800 Times in 368 Posts	In our experience, unless they are Zone 5 or even 4, they won't do well. We have some that have done well on the east side of our house where they are protected from the fierce winds that come off the lake. But the same species on the west side either struggle or don't make it at all. Bottom line, Zone 5 plantings don't do well unless planted in a protected area. Last edited by Merrymeeting; 06-05-2021 at 07:37 AM.

05-12-2021, 08:10 PM	#2
SAB1 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Tuftonboro Posts: 1,230 Thanks: 190 Thanked 320 Times in 235 Posts	My take. He’s right. It’s to cold. If you try it place south or southwest side.

The Following User Says Thank You to SAB1 For This Useful Post:
Dad207 (05-13-2021)

The Following User Says Thank You to upthesaukee For This Useful Post:
Dad207 (05-13-2021)

05-13-2021, 05:05 AM	#4
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,719 Thanks: 752 Thanked 1,457 Times in 1,014 Posts	I have several, some on the north and some on the south side. Some get more sun, some get less. They all do well. I don't know the type, maybe they are made for NH?

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to tis For This Useful Post:
Dad207 (05-13-2021), DotRat (05-24-2021)

The Following User Says Thank You to AC2717 For This Useful Post:
Dad207 (05-13-2021)

05-13-2021, 09:21 AM	#6
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,351 Thanks: 1,342 Thanked 1,623 Times in 1,055 Posts	My azaleas on the south side (full sun) of the house do better than those in shade or on the north side. I have had good luck with Rhododendrons, both wild and domestic, standard and dwarf. Andromeda and Mountain Laurel also do well. Andromeda in particular thrives on the north side of my house. White flower, red/green leaves. For the most part, if you buy from a local NH garden center, you should be OK. Emphasis on LOCAL NH garden center. They have to sell product that works, not as an adjunct to appliances, wall paper, etc where the same seasonal stock goes to 100 stores throughout New England. Plants with exposure to lots of winter winds may need to be protected in the winter.

The Following User Says Thank You to phoenix For This Useful Post:
Dad207 (05-13-2021)

The Following User Says Thank You to Merrymeeting For This Useful Post:
Dad207 (05-16-2021)

05-14-2021, 01:23 PM	#9
Cindido Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Wolfeboro Posts: 157 Thanks: 222 Thanked 57 Times in 32 Posts	Azaleas We have a huge azalea in front of our house facing Northeast - it's in full bloom right now and it's spectacular. Comes back every year.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Cindido For This Useful Post:
Dad207 (05-16-2021), DotRat (05-24-2021)

05-16-2021, 07:57 PM	#10
map Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: The Weirs Posts: 217 Thanks: 166 Thanked 66 Times in 49 Posts	The builder put 2 in front of our house- north/north west facing- and they have been doing great 2 seasons in a row.

05-17-2021, 04:59 AM	#11
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,719 Thanks: 752 Thanked 1,457 Times in 1,014 Posts	As we rode around the lake yesterday in the boat, I saw tons of them in blooming glory.

05-17-2021, 06:43 PM	#12
TheProfessor Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,120 Thanks: 17 Thanked 341 Times in 206 Posts	Rose of Sharon. Visited a well known large nursery for plants/trees/shrubs/flowers and such. Spoke with the owner. Don't carry any Rose of Sharon because they do not survive in New Hampshire. Purchased mail order Rose of Sharon 20 years ago and later. All of these mail order Rose of Sharon are doing just fine. With nice flowers later in season.

The Following User Says Thank You to TheProfessor For This Useful Post:
DotRat (05-24-2021)

06-04-2021, 10:29 PM	#13
Keel Holler Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Posts: 13 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Wow, I don’t agree with your neighbor at all. Azaleas are everywhere here. I mentioned to a landscaper one time that I liked “PJM” and they cringed- too common! Here in central NH, I have azaleas facing north and east under oaks in shade and part shade, facing west in full sun, and facing east under white pines in part sun. All of them thrive with no effort from me. I’m not sure where you are exactly, but here around the lake, I’d stick with zone 5 as a pretty hard cut off. You can get away with zone 6 sometimes- I have a few. But while they limp along, they don’t flourish. I don’t bother with winter protection though. If you do, you might be able to push the horticultural zone a bit. The local nurseries only carry zone 5 or hardier (except annuals, of course.) And high quality mail order companies will typically void warranties if shipping plants to addresses here, if the plants aren’t hardy to zone 5 or colder. I agree with Descant- if you buy from a local nursery, you’ll be fine. The local big box stores routinely sell zone 6 plants. (Plus their plants are often root bound or otherwise compromised.) Another thing to consider- azaleas like acid soil- maybe that’s why your neighbor was disappointed? It’s easy enough to test and fix. The good news- I think you can certainly have azaleas! Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app