Spectacular displays of beauty are still dotting the local landscape. 

Azaleas and their colorful flowers are beginning to fade but their dramatic blooms can still be seen throughout Vicksburg. 

A quick glance around town, and their beauty brightens any day. 

According to local master gardener Miriam Jabour, there are 15 species of azaleas native to the southeastern United States. They are relatively easy to grow if given the right conditions, come in a wide range of colors and require very little maintenance when planted correctly.

“Azaleas need acid soil, good drainage, plenty of organic material worked into the planting hole, mulch and adequate water for the first year after planting until they become established,” said Jabour. “5.5 to 6 on the pH scale is ideal but they will tolerate from 4.0 to 6.0. Adding peat moss, leaf mulch, old sawdust or compost tends to make the soil more acid but a soil test is the best insurance to make sure the soil falls within the right pH range.”

She advises the MSU Extension Office publication “Azaleas for the Landscape” offers good information on growing azaleas and can be found at msucares.com. It also lists some of the most popular varieties and includes size, color and whether they are early, midseason or late blooming varieties.

Azaleas are the most popular shrub in the South and there is a good reason to see why when their beautiful blooms take over the landscape.