Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Sunday - October 07, 2007

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Soils, Shrubs
Title: Potting soil recipe for azaleas
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I have a couple of Azaleas in pots that need repotting.I can't remember the recipe for the medium I put them in last time other than pine bark mulch. I think there were three ingredients. What is your recommendation?

ANSWER:

Even Mr. Smarty Plants can learn something new. We thought something as exotic-looking as an azalea must surely be a sub-tropical non-native. But, a search in our Native Plant Database turned up 26 native varieties. Not that it has to be native to be grown in a pot, of course, but at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center we try to concentrate on the care and propagation of plants native to North America. Turns out that azaleas include not only natives to North America, but we found 3 native to Texas! Among the other things we learned is that all azaleas are rhododendrons but not all rhododendrons are azaleas. We learned that wild azaleas are found on every continent except Africa and South America, with Southwestern China and Papua New Guinea having the most species. They have been hybridized for hundreds of years, and in the U.S. the natives do best in the Pacific northwest where rainfall is plentiful and winter temperatures are not too low. For more information, go to this site on Care of Azaleas.

But that's not what you asked, was it? You wanted a recipe for potting soil for containerized azaleas. On the above-mentioned website, we finally found a recommended recipe. We don't know if this was the one you were thinking of, but we hope so. It calls for equal proportions of peat moss, vermiculite, potting soil and coarse sand.

And, since we found those Texas native azaleas, let us tell you about them. They are Rhododendron canescens (mountain azalea), Rhododendron oblongifolium (Texas azalea), and Rhododendron prinophyllum (early azalea), pictures below.

 


Rhododendron canescens

Rhododendron oblongifolium

Rhododendron prinophyllum

 

 

 

 

More Shrubs Questions

Florida shrub with tiny green pumpkin-like fruit
July 23, 2008 - I live in Central Florida and have a fast-growing shrub with long stems. The leaves are similar to sassafras and from a distance the red flowers resemble those of a geranium. It has pods that look l...
view the full question and answer

Problems with non-native Cleyera and Red-tip photinia
June 01, 2008 - I planted a row of Cleyera in a bed that receives sunlight for about 3 hours during the middle of the day. My problem is that a number of the plants are dying. It begins with the leaves on one small...
view the full question and answer

Native plant for border in central coastal Texas
September 29, 2015 - I am looking for a native plant suggestion for a border along my front porch in central coastal Texas. My site has heavy gumbo soil and strong sunlight. I want something not more than 2 or 3 feet t...
view the full question and answer

Evergreen shrubs for New Jersey
September 01, 2009 - Need suggestions for Zone 6; Up to 2-3'H compact; evergreen foundation plants; deer resistant; sunny-partial shade; clay soil conditions. Appreciate your input.
view the full question and answer

Need for smaller tree with less invasive roots from Ft. Worth TX
June 07, 2014 - The sycamore in the front yard has developed roots larger than the branches. They have decided that the water and sewer lines are perfect to acquire their water from. For this reason it will be coming...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.