Azalea japonica Rosa King

The 'Rosa King' Japanese Azalea is a variety appreciated for its vigour and early, intensely coloured flowers! It is a dense, medium-sized, rounded bush, with large, dark green, oval foliage that is decorative all year round. From April to May, large semi-double Indian pink flowers emerge, transforming this shrub into a real spring extravaganza. The Japanese Azalea is an ericaceous shrub that prefers partially shaded locations and acidic, well-drained soils that remain moist, especially in summer. This variety is cold-resistant and requires virtually no maintenance once well-established. Plant it in a bed with other varieties of Japanese Azalea, or in front of large Rhododendrons to create Japanese-style displays. Its compact habit means it can be planted in containers to enhance balconies and terraces.

The 'Rosa King' Azalea was developed in Nuccio's Nurseries, USA before 1981. This variety is particularly vigorous.

'Rosa King' is a medium-sized, well-branched, rounded shrub that widens slightly with age. It grows slowly, reaching its adult size of 1m (3 ft 4 in) in height and spread by the age of 10. It usually flowers in April to May at the beginning of the Japanese Azalea season. The large, semi-double flowers with beautifully wavy edges are an intense Indian pink. They are funnel-shaped and clustered in terminal clusters of 4 to 5. The evergreen foliage consists of small, simple, elliptical leaves with smooth edges, arranged alternately on the branches. They are dark green in summer turning purple in cold weather. Each leaf has a lifespan of 3 years. Azaleas and Rhododendrons have a shallow root system that always needs to be kept moist, but they also dislike waterlogged soil which would suffocate the roots.

Japanese Azaleas thrive in cool climates with distinct winters, planted in humus-rich, ericaceous soil. They are very beautiful evergreen shrubs for flower beds or containers, attractive all year round. They are a perfect accompaniment to heathers, Japanese maples, or their relatives, Chinese Azaleas, which change colour with the seasons, as well as Japanese camellias and their graceful, often fragrant, autumn-flowering cousins, the Camellia sasanqua hybrids. This medium-sized and remarkably colourful 'Rosa King' variety will brighten up any gaps left below large ericaceous shrubs and will look wonderful in a large, cool, moist rock garden or at the front of a border, as well as on a terrace or balcony, in a large, carefully chosen  pot, with suitable compost and alkaline-free water for watering.