Why You Should Start Using Azaleas As Hedges

An ideal hedge is dense and tall enough to block wind, mute noises, block views, or serve other functions based on your needs. Evergreen shrubs are popular for hedges because they offer the same protection year-round. Classic choices like arborvitae (Thuja) and boxwood (Buxus) are popular options for dense greenery. But you don't have to stick to the basics when you're choosing shrubs for hedges. Azaleas (Rhododendron) offer a unique option for creating a hedge on your property. You'll find several types of azaleas you can grow in your garden that reach differing heights, but many types grow to be 6 to 10 feet tall with a width of 5 to 8 feet, which gives you plenty of coverage for a hedge. The shrubs typically grow in USDA zones 6 to 9, although some varieties offer a wider range. Azaleas native to North America are deciduous, which can be used for hedges if you don't mind more transparency in the winter. However, you can also choose evergreen varieties to provide year-round coverage with a blooming hedge.

Encore azaleas come in several different varieties, all of which are evergreen shrubs. These hybrid azaleas bloom in spring, summer, and fall, giving your hedges colorful blooms throughout the warmer seasons. In the winter, you will still maintain the greenery on the shrubs because they're evergreen, making Encore a solid choice. You'll also find other evergreen azalea options, including Aromi hybrids, Kurume hybrids, and Southern Indica hybrids, with similar features, making them strong candidates for your newest hedge. Each broad group of evergreen azaleas offers several varieties with different bloom colors, blooming times, and mature plant heights.

Azaleas are a good option for low-maintenance hedges you can plant in your yard. The shrubs don't require much care once they're well-established. Some types are lower maintenance than others. Evergreen Encore azaleas don't require deadheading or a lot of pruning to maintain healthy plants, for example. Growth rates for azaleas vary based on the type you choose, but they typically have a moderate to fast growth rate. Under ideal growing conditions, some azaleas grow up to 1 foot per year with the same rate for its width, allowing your hedge to fill out quickly. The shrubs tend to grow quickly when they're younger with the growth rate slowing as they age. You can expect the plants to take about six to seven years to reach their mature height.

Azaleas are also a versatile option because you can choose different varieties and plant them in unique ways. Different shrub varieties range from dwarf options that max out at 2 to 3 feet tall and go up to much larger varieties. You can allow them to grow in their natural shape or prune them into formal hedge shapes if you want more uniformity. Layering different varieties of azaleas that grow to varying heights or pairing a hedgerow of azaleas with another type of shrub incorporates variety into your hedge.

The blooms on azaleas make them an appealing option if you want to add color to your garden with a sweet flower hummingbirds and other animals love. Azalea flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including butterflies, and Encore varieties maintain long-term color to dress up your yard.