Naked azalea

[PilgorTheGoat]

I have an azalea that basically looks dead for much of the year. It has one or two tiny, shrivelled leaves on the end of each twig and it seems deeply unhappy. However, spring has sprung and it is blooming beautifully, dozens of lovely healthy flowers. What is going on? How can I encourage it to look healthy when not in bloom?

I had one like that. It is very old and the year before last was losing its leaves. I cut off some very dead looking parts and it regained a lot of leaf but last year had barely any flowers. This year it is healthy looking with masses of flowers. So no helpful advice other than they seem to be resilient things!

Mine used to have masses of flowers but has really struggled the last couple of years - the buds form but then shrivel and dry up in the early spring. Leaves are fine though.

I’ve read that they don’t do well with hard pruning but I’m going to do a bit of careful renovation after the handful of this year’s flowers have finished. Nothing to lose, really.

People used to stop outside our house and comment on it! Now they probably quietly wonder why we keep a big twig out the front.

It might need feeding (use the correct food). If you prune it you will create more leaf growth but it won't flower the spring following pruning. Pick off the dead buds - they've been destroyed by frost and although you won't get flowers they will still set their buds for next year.

I have a lot of azaleas just coming into bloom now. Some have really hated the endless wet of the winter so I'm giving them some tlc this year (don't usually do anything to them) and they should be OK.