Ep. 251 Celebrating the Year of the Azalea and Talking How to Grow Them | #GoodGrowing

The National Garden Bureau has named 2026 the Year of the Azalea! Ken, Emily, and Chris are digging into what makes these colorful (and sometimes finicky) plants so popular.In this episode of the Good Growing podcast, we break down everything you need to know about azaleas—from their connection to rhododendrons to how to grow them successfully in the Midwest. If you’ve ever wondered why azaleas struggle in Illinois landscapes (or if they’re even worth trying), this episode is for you.Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/Tvg7VoiBmgc00:30 Hey Ken01:07 Hey Emily!01:42 Topic of the week: Year of the azalea according to the National Garden Bureau03:13 Rhododendron vs, Azalea, which is which?05:44 Groups of azalea: Tsutsusi and pentanthera07:19 Native deciduous azalea vs non-native evergreen azalea07:42 History of breeding azalea10:16 Growing requirement for azalea14:52 Site selection and species/cultivar selection18:59 Insects and disease challenges with azaleas22:24 Pollinators and azalea23:51 Phytopthora root rot and soil pH issues25:10 Back to pollinators on azalea26:06 Describing 10 azaleas native to Eastern North America   27:08 Alabama Azalea   29:12 Coastal Azalea   30:11 Florida Azalea   32:13 Flame Azalea   33:04 Piedmont or Mountain Azalea   33:35 Oconee Azalea (also goes by Peidmont azalea in some areas but is a different species)   34:14 Pinxterbloom Azalea   35:13 Rochelle/Early/Plumleaf Azalea   36:44 Pink Shell Azalea   37:28 Swamp Azalea39:19 Would we grow azaleas in our yard?42:34 What type of azalea might you find in an Illinois nursery?44:32 Azaleas at Augusta Golf CourseContact us! Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.eduKen Johnson: kjohnso@illinois.edu Emily Swihart eswihart@illinois.eduLike what you hear? Subscribe for more gardening tips, plant talk, and seasonal inspiration from University of Illinois Extension.Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingSubscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribeAny products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk --You can find us on most podcast platforms.  iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-growing/id1446630377     Tunein - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Gardening/Good-Growing-p1187964/  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/202u3siWExE1tTqrVgtmCR    Vurbl - https://vurbl.com/station/good-growing-4pljnNlUtyG/    Listen notes - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/good-growing-chris-enroth-cHLPMWpvEOG/    Ivy - https://ivy.fm/podcast/good-growing-167902    Castbox - https://castbox.fm/channel/Good-Growing-id4302614?country=us