White Spider Azalea, Koromo White Azalea

Description

Beautiful and unique spidery white flowers absolutely cover this semi-dwarf evergreen shrub in mid-spring. This rare Azalea’s compact growth habit, durability, and rare flower form make this a definite conversation piece. The lavender form of this Azalea, Koromo Shikibu or Purple Spider, lines the eastern border of the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Gardens at Stephen F Austin’s Mast Arboretum.

Azaleas need a humus rich, acid soil and adequate moisture during establishment as well as a good organic mulch. The mulch will keep the root zone cooler and at a more stable temperature, helps to conserve moisture, controls competition from weeds, and as it breaks down it’s nutrients are slowly release back into the soil feeding your plants. Properly mulched Azaleas often need little additional nutrients once they are well established. Never use lime around Azaleas and realize that many of your ‘garden’ fertilizers like 8-8-8 and 13-13-13 contain lime as a filler so this could be toxic to them. Use a slow release, non-burning, acidifying fertilize instead when needed. For more in-depth information on growing Azaleas please see the following links: LSU Agcenter – Allen Owings and Dan Gill -AzaleasUGA Extension – Gary L. Wade, S. Kristen Braman, Jean Williams Woodward with input from John Thornton, Frank Bryan, and Albert Penland -Selecting and Growing AzaleasMSU Cares – revised by Jeff Wilson from an earlier edition by David Tatum -Azaleas For The LandscapeAnd see our Growing Guide to the left.