Choosing planting

Growing Azara in pots

to enjoy its flowering similar to mimosa

Contents

Modified the 13 January 2026 by Angélique 4 min. Difficulty: Beginner

With its yellow, fragrant flowering, reminiscent of mimosa, the azara is a beloved bush. Decorative, it also features evergreen, green, leathery, and glossy foliage. Not very hardy, it should be planted in regions spared from severe frosts and only flowers where winters are very mild, in the South, along the Atlantic coast, and also in Paris. Of modest size, it can be grown in a pot.

Discover our tips for growing and caring for Azara in a pot.

→ To learn more, find our complete guide: Azara: planting, pruning, and care

Difficulty

Which Azaras to plant in pots?

Azara microphylla

Azara microphylla or Chilean mimosa is a bush with an upright fountain-like habit that can reach 4 metres in height at ripeness in the ground, but can also be grown in a pot. Its small, leathery, glossy leaves are evergreen and are covered from March to April with yellow petal-less flowers made up of numerous stamens grouped into small pom-poms like mimosas. They emit a vanilla fragrance. It is hardy down to –10°C to –12°C.

Azara microphylla in pot Azara microphylla – photo by Eva

Azara serrata – saw-toothed azara

Hardy down to –10°C, Azara serrata is a larger bush with an upright habit, as it can reach 5 metres in height in the ground. It can also be grown in a pot and flowers in June and July. Its small leaves have a dentate edge and are covered in summer with small yellow pom-poms emitting fragrances of vanilla and chocolate. It hails from the rainforests of Chile and Argentina.

Azara serrata grown in pot Azara serrata – photo by Eva

Where and when to plant azara in a pot?

Azara should be planted in full sun or partial shade in regions where winter temperatures do not drop below -10°C to -12°C, specifically in the south of France, the Atlantic coast, as well as in small gardens well sheltered from wind and cold.
Azara should be planted in autumn, in November and December, in regions with a mild climate, or at the end of spring, once the frosts have passed, in April or May.

How to grow azara in a pot?

What type of pot?

You can install Azara in any sufficiently large pot, preferably terracotta pots, which facilitate water evaporation and thus drainage. Water-retaining containers should be avoided.

leucadendron in pot, growing Leucadendron in pot

What substrate?

Azara requires a fresh, rich, humus-bearing, non-calcareous, and well-drained substrate to prevent the roots from freezing in winter.

Planting

Soak the root ball in a bucket of water for a few minutes and remove it from the pot
Take a pot that is twice the volume of the root ball
Place a drainage layer of gravel or clay balls at the bottom of the pot
Add soil mixed with sand or gravel to ensure good drainage
Position the root ball and fill in with the remaining soil
Firm the substrate to eliminate air pockets and water
You can add a layer of mulch

An Azara microphylla ‘Variegata’ in pot

How to care for potted Azara?

Azara requires little maintenance.

Watering

Water during the first few months after planting and in case of severe drought, especially in the first year.

Fertiliser

In autumn, add compost and refresh the mulch.

Pruning

You can prune Azara after flowering, between May and July, depending on the species. This pruning helps to remove dead wood and damaged or obstructive branches for the habit.
Do not prune old wood, as the plant will not regrow from that pruned part.