Rhododendron kaempferi Amoena - Japanese Azalea

Azalea japonica Amoena is a very ancient Japanese variety still appreciated for its vigour, its compact ball shape, and the abundance of its magenta purple-pink flowers. The dense foliage of this small bush, lasts well into winter, disappearing under a multitude of small double flowers in early of spring. It is a delightful ericaceous plant that will liven up shady rockeries, terraces, or under the canopy of tall rhododendrons, all year round.

The Azalea Amoena was already flowering in Japanese gardens before arriving in Europe around 1845. This hybrid is classified in the Obtusum Group, composed of hybrids of Rhododendron kaempferi. It is a vigorous, evergreen, slow-growing hybrid that does well in cool and damp temperate climates, with defined seasons. This Amoena variety is known to withstand frosts of around -12/-15°C (10/5°F).

'Amoena' is a well-branched variety, with a dense and rounded habit, widening somewhat with age. It reaches a height of about 80-90 cm (31.5 - 35.4 in) and a spread of 1 m (3.3 ft) by the age of 10. It flowers at the beginning of the Japanese azalea season, usually in March-April, for about 3 weeks. The 2.5 cm (1 in) diameter flowers have two rows of intense magenta-pink petals. The throat is a darker purple pink. They are funnel-shaped and gathered in terminal clusters. The evergreen foliage consists of small, single, elliptical leaves with smooth edges, arranged alternately on the branches. The young leaves are light green and become dark green in summer and winter. 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 them.

Japanese azaleas thrive in cool and humid climates, with pronounced winters, planted in humus-rich and acidic soil, such as ericaceous soil. Under these conditions, they are beautiful evergreen shrubs for flowerbeds or flowering pots, attractive all year round. They are perfect with heathers, Japanese maples, or their relatives, Chinese Azaleas, which change colour throughout the seasons, as well as Japanese camellias and their graceful autumn-flowering cousins, often fragrant Camellia sasanqua hybrids. This Amoena variety, rather early and remarkably colourful, extends the flowering period of the ericaceous beds, in the company of other azaleas and rhododendrons. Due to its slow growth, it can be grown for many years in a large, carefully chosen pot, in suitable soil, watered with lime-free water.