Rhododendron ‘Girard’s Roberta’
Overview
Uses: Foundation plantings, low hedges, mass plantings, and part-shade beds.
Benefits: A cold-hardy Girard evergreen azalea with clusters of double pink flowers in spring. Glossy green leaves deepen in color in cold weather on a compact, mounding shrub.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–8
Sun: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Life Cycle: Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
Growth Habit: Rounded, Mounding — dense and compact.
Bloom Color: Pink (double)
Foliage Color: Glossy Dark Green
Mature Height: 2–4 feet
Mature Width: 3–5 feet
Bloom Season: Mid to late spring
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
Soft, ruffled pink flowers that look more like tiny roses than a typical azalea.
Roberta is a Girard evergreen azalea with fully double flowers. Instead of the single trumpet shape most azaleas carry, each bloom is packed with extra ruffled petals, and the clusters open in mid to late spring as a soft, full pink. The effect is gentle rather than loud, which makes it easy to combine with white azaleas, lavender rhododendrons, and the fresh greens of spring ferns and hostas.
The plant forms a compact, dense mound about two to four feet tall and three to five feet wide. Its glossy leaves stay on through the year and deepen in color as cold weather arrives, so it keeps its place in the garden long after the flowers fade.
Like the other Girard azaleas, it was developed in northeastern Ohio for gardens with cold winters, and it holds its flower buds well where winters are reliably cold.
It does best in partial shade or morning sun, in acidic, well-drained soil, and its moderate size works in foundation beds, mass plantings, and containers alike.
Care
Girard’s Roberta Azalea Care
Plant in partial shade or a spot with morning sun and protection from strong afternoon sun. A few hours of direct light encourages heavy bloom; harsh afternoon sun can scorch the foliage and attract lace bugs.
Plant in acidic, well-drained soil enriched with compost or other organic matter. Azalea roots are shallow and fine and do poorly in waterlogged ground, so in clay, raise the planting slightly so the top of the root ball sits just above grade. A two-to-three-inch mulch of pine bark or shredded leaves, kept clear of the stems, holds moisture and keeps the roots cool.
Water deeply once or twice a week the first season, and keep watering through dry spells in later years. A deep soak in late fall, before the ground freezes, helps the evergreen foliage through winter.
Fertilize lightly. One application of a slow release fertilizer for acid-loving plants after bloom is enough.
Next spring's buds form during summer, so prune only right after flowering, and only as needed. Removing spent flower clusters is optional. A spot sheltered from strong winter wind keeps the leaves looking their best.
Growing in Containers
Its compact, mounding habit makes it a good choice for a large patio pot. Use a container with drainage holes and a potting mix made for acid-loving plants. Container plants dry out faster than plants in the ground, so check moisture often in warm weather, and feed lightly each spring, since frequent watering washes nutrients out of the mix. Roots in containers experience greater cold exposure than roots in the ground. Plants hardy in the ground may require winter protection when grown in containers in colder zones.
Size
What Size is the Girard’s Roberta Azalea for Sale Online?
Our Girard’s Roberta Azalea ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants shipped in fall or winter are past bloom and may show deeper winter leaf color, which is normal. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Girard’s Roberta Azalea Grow?
Expect about 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide at maturity, in a compact, rounded mound. Space plants about 3 to 4 feet apart for a continuous low hedge or mass planting.
Additional Information
What makes the flowers double?
Double azaleas carry extra petals in place of some or all of the flower's inner parts, so each bloom is fuller and more ruffled than a single azalea flower. On Roberta the result is a soft, rose-like pink bloom that reads as a full cluster even from a distance.
What is a Girard azalea?
It is one of a group of evergreen azalea hybrids bred at Girard Nurseries in northeastern Ohio, where the goal was reliable bloom after cold winters. See our full selection of Azaleas.
Does it change color in winter?
The glossy leaves deepen in color as temperatures drop and return to green with new growth in spring. A few older leaves may yellow and fall in autumn, which is normal for evergreen azaleas. For more year-round foliage, browse our Evergreen Plants.
Is Girard’s Roberta Azalea deer resistant?
No. Deer browse azaleas, particularly in winter. If deer visit your yard, protect plants with fencing or a repellent, or explore our Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens.
