- Mature height
- 1m to 2m
- Mature width
- 1m to 2m
Azalea indica 'Alphonse Anderson' is one of the classic indica azaleas, grown for a flower most other azaleas cannot match. The blooms are large and single, soft pink with a clean white edge and a deeper pink throat, and they come in such quantity that the foliage disappears behind them.
Flowering runs through late winter and early spring, with a lighter spot flowering again in autumn. It makes a rounded evergreen shrub of roughly 1 to 2 metres each way, with small dark leaves held densely enough to clip. It takes full sun through to semi shade, which gives it more range than most azaleas, though the flowers hold their colour longest with protection from harsh afternoon sun.
Azaleas want acidic, free-draining soil rich in organic matter, and they are shallow rooted, so mulch matters more than it does for most shrubs. Keep the mulch topped up, water through dry spells, and do not let the root zone bake.
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The 30cm and 40cm are the natural shrub form for beds, borders and mass planting. The 50cm and 90L Ball Forms are pre-clipped formal spheres, ready to place, which is a rare thing in a flowering plant: structure through the year and a heavy flush of pink in late winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Azalea indica 'Alphonse Anderson'
What do the flowers look like?
Large single flowers, soft pink with a white edge and a deeper pink throat. The white margin is what sets 'Alphonse Anderson' apart from the plain pink indicas, and it reads clearly from a distance rather than only up close.
When does it flower?
The main flush is late winter into early spring. It will also spot flower again in autumn, so you get a second lighter display out of it in the same year.
What sizes and forms are available?
Four. The 30cm and 40cm are the natural shrub form for beds, borders and mass planting. The 50cm and 90L Ball Forms are specimens already clipped into formal spheres, ready to place, with the training and growing-on time already done.
How big does it grow?
Around 1 to 2 metres tall and the same across, forming a rounded shrub. It is easily held smaller with a trim after flowering, and the Ball Forms are maintained permanently at their clipped size.
Sun or shade?
Either. It handles full sun through to semi shade, which gives it more range than most azaleas. In hot inland districts the flowers hold their colour longest with some protection from harsh afternoon sun.
Is an azalea the same as a rhododendron?
Botanically yes. Azaleas sit within the genus Rhododendron, but the nursery trade keeps them separate because they behave differently in the garden: smaller leaves, smaller habit, and a heavier flowering display for their size. 'Alphonse Anderson' belongs to the indica group, the azaleas most widely grown in Australia.
How do I care for it?
Plant into acidic, free-draining soil improved with compost. Azaleas are shallow rooted, so keep a layer of pine bark or leaf mulch over the root zone at all times and never let it dry out completely. Trim straight after flowering, before next season's buds set. Feed with an azalea and camellia fertiliser at the same time. Yellowing between the leaf veins means the soil is too alkaline, and iron chelate will correct it.
