domesticdiva
Full Member
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 10:54 am
Location: Eastern NC

Azaleas and butterfly bush together?

From what I understand, some of the encore azaleas do well in full sun. At least the ones I planted 2 last year have done well. Anyways, I bought a butterfly bush that was pruned into the shape of a tree.

Would it look right if I planted encore azaleas on both sides of it? Do azaleas and butterfly bushes clash? I'm not just talking about color, I mean are they weird planted together in any way?

I like the pink azaleas and the butterfly bush will be purple. I was thinking of planting yellow lantana nearby also.

I was just thinking that in the winter when the butterfly bush looks like a dead twig, the azaleas will still be green and pretty.

What do you think?

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rainbowgardener
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Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

The colors sound pretty, and the azaleas in winter would cover the space where the butterfly bush used to be. They usually recommend once the butterfly bush is fully dormant cutting it down to just a foot or so above ground level.

However, the azalea NEEDS acid soil, pH no higher than 6, preferably 4.5 - 5.5. The butterfly bush likes neutral to slightly alkaline soil, pH 7 - 7.5. In fact my butterfly bush thrives in my alkaline soil that usually tests out about pH 7.5 - 8. So if you could get your soil to pH 6 both of them would probably live there, but it wouldn't be ideal for either of them and neither might thrive real well.

I don't know what your natural soil pH is. It is really hard to change it very much for very long. I can't grow acid lovers - no matter how much I amend the soil, it is eventually neutralized by all the surrounding alkaline soil.



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