Rhododendron ‘Red Red’
Overview
Uses: Foundation plantings, low hedges, mass plantings, and part-shade beds.
Benefits: An evergreen azalea with clear red flowers in spring on a dense, compact shrub. Glossy leaves keep the plant looking tidy year-round in part-shade beds.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6–9
Sun: Partial Shade to Full Sun
Life Cycle: Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
Growth Habit: Rounded, Mounding — dense and compact.
Bloom Color: Red
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
Clean, true red for the part-shade beds where most flowering shrubs give up.
‘Red Red’ is an evergreen azalea grown for a clear red bloom. In mid to late spring the flowers open across the whole plant at once, turning a low, rounded shrub into a single block of color that reads from across the yard. Set among white or pale pink azaleas, it gives a planting of softer shades a strong anchor.
Once the flowers drop, the plant settles back into a tidy mound of small, glossy leaves, two to four feet tall and slightly wider. The leaves stay on through winter, so a foundation bed or low hedge keeps its shape and color in every month.
It is best suited to gardens in zones 6 through 9 with some protection from hot afternoon sun: the east side of a house, the edge of a wooded lot, or the dappled light beneath tall oaks and pines.
Care
Red Red Azalea Care
Give it morning sun and afternoon shade, or the filtered light under high tree branches. It will take more sun, but in full exposure the leaves can scorch in summer and lace bugs become more of a problem. In heavy shade it flowers less.
Plant in acidic, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Azalea roots are fine and shallow and do not tolerate standing water, so avoid heavy clay and low spots, or plant slightly high in a bed amended with compost or pine bark fines.
Water deeply about once a week through the first year, more often in hot, dry weather, and keep watering during droughts once the plant is established. Two to three inches of pine bark or leaf mulch keeps the roots cool and holds moisture; keep it a couple of inches back from the stems.
A light feeding after bloom with a slow release fertilizer is plenty. Many established azaleas in good soil need none at all.
Shape the plant, if needed, within a few weeks after flowering. Flower buds for next spring form during summer, so pruning later in the season cuts off next year’s blooms. Some yellowing and shedding of older leaves in fall is normal for evergreen azaleas.
Size
What Size is the Red Red Azalea for Sale Online?
Our Red Red Azalea ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. As an evergreen, it holds its leaves through the off-season. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Red Red Azalea Grow?
At maturity it reaches about 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide, in a dense, rounded form. Set plants about 3 feet apart for a continuous low hedge, or about 4 feet apart to let each one keep its own shape.
Additional Information
How much cold can Red Red Azalea take?
It is rated for zones 6 through 9. In zone 6, plant it where it is sheltered from strong winter wind and bright winter sun, both of which can brown evergreen azalea leaves. Gardeners in zone 5 should look to cold-bred selections such as the Girard azaleas in our Azaleas collection.
Is an azalea a rhododendron?
Botanically, yes. Every azalea belongs to the genus Rhododendron. In the garden, “azalea” usually means the smaller-leaved, finer-textured types, while “rhododendron” refers to the big-leaved evergreen shrubs. Red Red is a small-leaved evergreen azalea.
Does it keep its leaves in winter?
For the most part. Evergreen azaleas hold their smaller summer leaves through winter and drop some of the larger spring leaves in fall. The plant stays green and full, which is why it works so well in front of a house. Find more year-round shrubs in our Evergreen Plants.
Will deer eat Red Red Azalea?
Deer browse azaleas readily, especially in winter when other food is scarce. Where deer pressure is heavy, protect plants with fencing or repellents, or choose from our Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens instead.
