Azalea x 'NUCCIO'S LUCKY CHARM' Satsuki azalea

Nuccio’s Lucky Charm is another fascinating Satsuki azalea. This hybrid bears medium-large flowers of dusky pink colour. The first buds begin to open on the first hot days of June (usually mid of the month) and continue blooming for as long as 4 weeks. It was bread by Nuccio Nursery of Southern California which is a leading nursery for Satsuki azaleas and camellias. Evergreen leaves are rather small, elliptic, mid green and glossy. The plant does not grow fast, it makes a low, compact shrub with profusion of flowers in the first half of summer which makes it a lovely flowering feature in beds and borders around swimming pools and on patios that are mostly in use during summer months.

Satsuki azaleas are quite compact and bushy growing but can be clipped to shapes in early July after flowering. It so, do not use fertilizers enhancing growth rate. The size of new branches would get out hand and spoil the shape you are going to achieve. If can be placed in full sun if grown in excellent soil with equal moisture throughout the season. They need 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. If leaves turn yellow or fall down after winter it is planted in wet or heavy soil. So far we have experienced its hardiness down to -21°C (USDA zone 6b), preferably located in winter shade or if grown in full sun they will do better with fir branches or white woven in case of heavy frost and sunny strong sunlight.

Last update 15-12-2010; 08-01-2012