Plant field guide
Azalea (Stewartstonian)
Outstanding four-season azalea with vivid red spring flowers and striking burgundy-red winter foliage. One of the best azaleas for year-round interest. Compact, upright habit with excellent cold hardiness.
Growing requirements
- Scientific name
- Rhododendron 'Stewartstonian'
- Sun
- partial shade
- Water
- moderate
- Height
- 36 in (91 cm) – 60 in (152 cm)
- Spread
- 36 in (91 cm) – 48 in (122 cm)
- Spacing
- Not recorded
- Hardiness zones & minimum temperature
- USDA 5–8; average annual extreme minimum from -20°F (-28.9°C). Hardiness does not predict local frost dates.
- Difficulty
- easy
Planting & seasonal timing
Northern Hemisphere planting months: not yet verified in our database.
Northern Hemisphere pruning months: May, June.
For the Southern Hemisphere, these seasonal windows shift approximately six months. Check your local frost forecast, soil temperature, and species requirements; calendar months are not a guarantee of planting safety.
Winter foliage turns deep mahogany-red, providing color when little else does. Very cold hardy. Good resistance to lace bugs. One of the best all-around landscape azaleas for northern zones.
Pruning
Prune after flowering. Remove dead branches. Maintain compact shape.
Fertilizer
Azalea/Rhododendron fertilizer (acidic)
After flowering and early fall
Mulch
2-3 inches of pine bark or pine straw.