Azalea japonica 'EISPRINZESSIN'^®

Japanese azaleas are very popular features of our gardens. Apart from the old, well-known favourites there are new varieties and hybrids every year, showing better colours and offering improved features. Eisprinzessin^® holds a good amount of poetry already in its name – ice princess. This beauty was bred by Hans Hachmann only in 1998 and 5 years after, in 2003 it was awarded one of the most prestigious awards - the Golden medal at the International horticultural exhibition IGA in Rostock.

Eisprinzessin^® is a mound-forming Japanese azalea with pure white, double flowers. They are extra large for an azalea, almost 6 cm across. They come out in abundance from end May until mid June. When the shrub is in full bloom the plant looks like a mound of fresh snow with glittering icing and the foliage is nearly invisible. But for all the rest of the year the evergreen leaves are more than a dignified feature as they are deep green, partly glossy and hold well in winter. The plant grows slowly into a compact cushion, about 30 cm tall and 50-60 cm wide in 10 years.

Japanese azaleas can be clipped to shapes in early June, however, this one is better off untouched. It needs light, permeable soil that is acid, constantly moist (keep azaleas mulched at all times) and moderately fertile. Use fertilizers for rhododendrons and azaleas, or ericaceous plants. The best soil mix is 1/3 of peat, 1/3 of leaf-mould or lime-free compost, and 1/3 of soil from the hole where you are going to plant it. Azaleas have shallow roots, so do not plant not too deep. Fully hardy to -26°C (USDA zone 5b).

Last update 23-02-2010