This woody potted plant blooms in all four seasons, stays short and is easy to grow, and can even be trained as a bonsai tree

Intro

Green potted plants are essential decorative touches for home life. Keeping some flowers and greenery at home brings many benefits: it beautifies your living space and lifts your mood. "Flower Sound Potted Plant Diary, Issue 1371" introduces you to a very beautiful woody plant.

Today's Star

Autumn is a great season for growing flowers. This year, instead of choosing those overdone pothos and spider plants, why not try a plant that is both beautiful and festive, and can even serve as a New Year floral display. This flower is called the Phoenix Crown Azalea (Rhododendron hybrid), a very common indoor potted plant abroad that quickly became popular after being introduced to China.

Phoenix Crown Azalea

The Phoenix Crown Azalea differs from the wild azaleas native to China. This cultivar was bred by Dutch and Danish horticulturists, with two colors on a single flower, red and white distinctly separated, brilliant and eye-catching, and of very high ornamental value. It is one of the most produced potted flower varieties in the world, exported all over the globe.

High ornamental value

The Phoenix Crown Azalea is a representative cultivar of Western azaleas. During breeding, special emphasis was placed on its flowering ability. It can form buds and bloom multiple times a year, with flowers in all four seasons, mainly concentrated in spring and autumn. When in bloom, place it indoors in a ventilated spot, and the flowers can last as long as 1 month, with an exceptionally long ornamental period.

Easy to grow

As a hybrid, the Phoenix Crown Azalea also has more stable and robust traits than native azaleas, with strong adaptability to the environment and cold tolerance. In winter, it will not freeze to death outdoors at minus five or six degrees Celsius. Note that in summer, it should be placed in a cool, ventilated spot, watered once or twice a day, keeping the pot from drying out. In the other seasons, it can be cared for with minimal attention.

Bonsai tree

The Phoenix Crown Azalea plant is relatively short, generally no more than 30cm in height. In China, it is mostly kept as a private indoor potted ornamental. Its branches are dense, its shape is attractive, and it tolerates pruning well. It can also be trained into stump bonsai of various styles. Its leaves stay evergreen year-round and its flowers bloom brilliantly and eye-catchingly, making it a rare excellent potted plant and fine bonsai material.