Japanese Azalea 'Geisha Orange'

Japanese Azalea 'Geisha Orange' (Rhododendron 'Satschiko') carries a hot orange with a reddish glow, a colour genuinely rare among azaleas. In late May the flowers, 4-4.4 cm across, cover the dense low cushion so thickly that the shrub glows warm orange in the half-shade.

Plant it in tight groups at the front of a bed, in heather gardens and containers, wherever a warm accent is missing among greens and pink neighbours. In ten years the cushion holds about 0.4 m tall and 0.7 m wide. Within the 'Geisha' series this is the warmest, orange-red tone; it withstands frosts down to -26 °C.

Key characteristics:

• What makes it special: Behind the trade name 'Geisha Orange' hides the registered Japanese name 'Satschiko' - the whole series carries second names such as 'Michiko' or 'Kazuko'.
• Dimensions: In 10 years it reaches 0.4 m tall and 0.7 m wide.
• Hardiness: Hardy down to -26 °C (USDA zone 5b).
• Flowering: From late May to early June it blazes with orange flowers of 4-4.4 cm lit by a warm reddish glow.
• Light: Happiest in partial shade or dappled light: morning sun, a little shade at midday and a snug spot sheltered from strong wind.
• Soil: Loves acidic soil at pH 5.0-5.5, rich in humus and evenly moist. The one thing it will not take is standing water, so good drainage is a must.
• Watering: Water moderately but regularly: the shallow roots dislike drying out and standing water in equal measure.
• Care: Mulch with bark or pine needles, leave the soil under the bush undisturbed, and trim the spent blooms right after flowering.
• Landscape use: Low edging, heather and rock gardens, underplanting for rhododendrons; lovely in groups and containers in partial shade.
• Origin: A selection from the Aronense Group made by Werner Arends and introduced in 1971.