Florist’s azalea is a houseplant in this climate
Question: I have this small azalea that was given to us when our daughter passed. Being as sentimental as I am, I want to keep it. The ground is way too cold to plant it now, right? Is there any way to keep it for the winter and then transplant it outside?
— L.J.P., via Internet
Answer: If your plant came from a flower shop or a grocery store (you should be able to tell from the packaging and presentation), then chances are good it’s a florist’s azalea, which are only hardy to about zone 7 — parts of Pennsylvania, Virginia, into Georgia, etc. (Zone boundaries are debatable, so let’s just say “warmer than here.”)
As houseplants, these azaleas prefer a cool, bright location without drafts. They don’t like to dry out completely, but even worse is letting them sit in water.
A lot of times, florist’s plants come with decorative pot covers, and it’s essential that you either remove those when watering or poke holes in the bottom and then empty the saucer when the plant is done drinking — otherwise the roots will rot.
A good way to water an azalea is to soak the pot in a sink full of water every once in a while and then drain thoroughly. That way, the soil stays more evenly moist and takes longer to fully dry.
I recommend letting all houseplants spend the summer in a shady location outdoors, and this is when they get fed, too — although you may, if you choose, use a weak fertilizer through the winter months as well.
Outdoors, the plant is able to respond to nature’s temperature and day length cues, and usually flowers more regularly. Azaleas are not the easiest plant to force into rebloom, however. Since this one is special to you, consider finding a local greenhouse where it could be “fostered” and kept healthy over the winter.
In the unlikely event that you have a hardy azalea on your hands — one that came from a garden center or a big box — then no, it’s is not too cold to plant it outside before the ground freezes.
If it has been indoors all this time, however, you will need to let it acclimate to the cold first. If you want to save the bother and keep it over the winter, water well and stash it in a cool, dimly lit place.
All azaleas are, botanically, rhododendrons. All prefer acid soil and respond well to even fairly drastic pruning for rejuvenation, to maintain the plant’s shape or just to keep it tidy.