Azalea, Camelia, & Hydrangea

[countyroad1330]

I guess Azaleas, Camelias, and Hydrangeas are considered shrubs, right?

I just recently moved into a house that has an established Azalea and huge Hydrangea, and I planted a Camelia.

What can I put around the Hydrangea to make the blooms different colors?

What should I put around the Azalea to help keep it healthy?

Will the Camelia make it? I'm in Oklahoma!

 

[Buff Shallots]

Hydrangeas: to make them more blue, sprinkle granular Espoma Hollytone around the base in the spring. They like acid soil, and the more acid, the more blue (depending on hybrid of course). If you want to give it a quick hit, try water-based Miracid.

Azaleas: They are very shallow-rooted, so to keep them happy all growing season, keep them mulched with shredded bark, or fallen leaves. Don't let their shallow roots dry out. They also appreciate an acidic type fertilizer.

Don't know about camelias...

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

As far as Camelias go, they like slightly acidic soil (6.0) as well. Keep them in well drained soil but don't let them dry out, at least until established.

They seem to do well in the shade of the pine trees we have and they seem to like the acidic soil caused by the pine needle mulch.

 

[Tutter]

We have azaleas, rhodies, and camelias, and I can't add, except to say that camelias can thrive in a variety of areas.

My mother lives in S. California, and there was a full grown camelia on the side of her house, where no sun really hits, when they moved there, almost 50 years ago. It bloomed well always, with minimal water, poor soil on that side, hot-dry summers, cool and mostly dry winters. It's still giving masses of blooms.

I have several varieties here, and mine, though only a few years old, bloom masses as well. We, too, have hot-dry summers, but we have much colder, and much, much wetter winters, and they are in good soil.

I'll bet they do just fine! Make sure they get watered well in the summer, though.