Terry Strecker

While Tyler is known as the Rose Capital of the World, it is also famous for its Historic Azalea District.

Each spring, from mid-March through May, azaleas bloom along Tyler’s Azalea trail (https://visittyler.com/azaleatrail/), inspiring gardeners to replicate their beauty in their own gardens in East Texas.

Azaleas thrive in East Texas with filtered sunlight (under a large tree, for example), with frequent rainfall, and in sandy, well-drained, organic acidic soil. If your garden is primarily clay and drains poorly, amend it with sand or choose a different location for planting. Alternatively, add large quantities of ground bark, compost, peat moss or leaf mold to the soil so it will achieve the desired drainage and aeration azaleas need to grow.

Making sure azaleas have enough water is important because they have a very shallow root system that can dry out rapidly in East Texas heat. A layer of mulch can help maintain needed moisture and keep weeds at bay. The reason soggy soil is a threat to azaleas is that excess water blocks needed oxygen from its roots. Achieving the optimal balance of moisture and aeration is important for azalea growth.

As you drive along the azalea trail, you will notice that some azaleas are loaded with blooms. Azaleas are a diverse group of plants in the genus Rhododendron and come in a number of hybrid varieties. One of the showiest of the azaleas is the Kurume variety which are small in size and are usually completely covered with blooms early in the season. Popular Kurume azaleas include white (Snow), pink (Coral Belis), red (Hinodegiri), crimson (Hino Crimson), orange red (Flame) and bright red (Hershey’s Red). These are evergreen and grow about 3-6 feet tall.

A larger variety, Southern Indica, grows between 6-12 feet tall, has larger leaves and large flowers that are 2-3 inches. Common varieties in this hybrid include white (Fielders White and Mrs. G. G. Gerbing), light pink (George L. Taber), pink (Judge Solomon), deep rose pink (Pride of Mobile) and rose purple (Formosa).

The most well-known to gardeners who visit our local garden centers is the Encore variety of azaleas which has been around about 20 years. Today there are over 25 varieties of Encore azaleas, all of which include the name “autumn” because they bloom in the spring and the fall of the year. This variety of azaleas grow to 4.5 to 5 feet tall and take 6-7 years to achieve maturity from a 1 gallon plant. Both spring (after the last frost) and fall are great times to plant Encore azaleas under the conditions described above.

If you have yet to select and plant your azaleas, be sure to walk the azalea trail to see the proven landscapes where these plants have thrived in Tyler.