How Long Do Potted Azaleas Last?

Potted azaleas can be used both indoors and outside to add welcome bursts of colour in late winter and early spring. These woody perennials can live for many years when well cared for, making them an excellent investment for your home.

A potted azalea plant can last for a hundred years with proper care. If you are growing your potted azalea from a seed or cutting, it may take 2 or more years before you see blooms. When your potted azalea does flower, the blooms last from 2 to 4 weeks.

How to Care for Potted Azaleas?

1. Plant your azalea in soil that will hold moisture but drain easily, in a clay pot.

2. Set your potted azalea in a spot where it will get morning sun but be protected from the hot afternoon rays.

3. Water your azalea whenever the top inch of the soil is dry.

4. In spring, summer, and fall, use a soluble fertilizer once a month, diluted to half strength, but not when the plant is in bloom.

Can Azaleas Survive the Winter in Pots?

While azaleas are hardy in Zones 5 to 9, outdoor potted plants may not make it through the winter without some extra protection from freezing temperatures.

It’s best to sink the pots of azaleas in holes in a vegetable or flower bed in the fall, so that the roots are better insulated. Tuck straw or leaves into any gaps between the pot and the sides of the hole for the best protection, and lay down a good layer of mulch over the soil surface.

Potted Azaleas Temperature Tolerance?

Potted azaleas will handle temperatures from about 32° to 90°F (0° to 32°F). In really hot weather, move them to a shady spot in the garden to keep them as cool as possible, and when temperatures start to plunge, the roots will need protection from the freezing cold.

Potted Azaleas Temperature Tolerance

Do Potted Azaleas Come Back Each Year?

Azaleas are woody perennials that can live for many years, but keeping them healthy as potted plants requires some extra care.

If you are growing your potted azaleas as indoor plants for winter blooms, move them outdoors to a shady spot for the summer months. Dig a hole deep enough to sink the pot to soil level, keep it well-watered, and fertilize once a month.

If your potted azaleas are container plants on your patio or deck, provide them with extra protection in winter to prevent damage to the roots.

When Should You Plant Azaleas in a Pot?

If you have purchased a potted azalea, you should plan on repotting it every couple of years. Select a new clay pot that is one size larger than the previous container. Use a mix of equal parts potting soil and peat moss.

Potting should be done in late summer or early fall.

How Long Do Potted Azaleas Take to Grow?

Azaleas are long-living perennials that can be started from seed or cuttings. However, they may take 2 years or longer from when you plant them to their first blooms. It’s much easier and faster to buy a potted azalea from a nursery or florist that is ready to bloom.

How Long Do Potted Azaleas Take to Grow

How Long Will Potted Azaleas Last Inside?

A potted azalea’s flowers will last from 2 to 4 weeks indoors, usually in late winter. Keeping temperatures on the cool side will prolong the bloom period, so it’s always a good idea to move your potted azalea into a cooler room overnight.

How Can You Force a Potted Azalea to Bloom Indoors?

After your indoor potted azalea has finished blooming in early spring, move it outside for the growing season. Sink the pot into the ground in a shady spot, and keep it watered and fertilized.

Then, before the first hard frost, pull it out of the ground and move it indoors to as cool a location as possible. From early November to the beginning of January, it should be kept at 40 to 50 F (4 to 10 C). Water it infrequently and do not use any fertilizer.

Then, move it to a room at about 60 F (16 C), and within a few weeks it should start flowering.

Final Thoughts

With their beautiful, papery blossoms, azaleas are an outstanding potted plant that can last for many years with proper care. Whether you use them in containers outside, or force them for winter blooms indoors, a potted azalea will be a star of your plant collection!

Read my related plant articles: 

Leave a Comment