# Are my azaleas in trouble?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-azaleas-in-trouble/491028>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 27, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-azaleas-in-trouble/491028 "2009-03-27T20:42:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-azaleas-in-trouble/491028/1 "2009-03-27T20:42:15Z")

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Last spring, after the flowers died, the petals got brown and still stayed on the azalea bush. I figured this was fine since they’d just fall off or get knocked off when the bush grew back this spring. My lilacs have big buds and some are starting to open, but the azaleas don’t have anything. The leaves are still brown and there doesn’t appear to be anything growing yet.

Is it…dead? ☹

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**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-azaleas-in-trouble/491028/2 "2009-03-27T21:23:27Z")

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The petals turn brown and it means nothing. The leaves turn brown after flowering and they didn’t sprout again it’s likely dead.

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**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-azaleas-in-trouble/491028/3 "2009-03-27T23:52:08Z")

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I meant the leaves turned brown. The petals fell off. Strangely, the leaves aren’t all brown. The parts nearest the stem are green. Some leaves are dotted green throughout. All the leaves are mostly brown though.

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**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2009, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-azaleas-in-trouble/491028/4 "2009-03-28T00:14:44Z")

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[Here’s the NCSU page](http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/Ornamental/odin16/odin16.htm) on common azalea diseases. I’m not an expert on azaleas, but here are the initial questions I’d ask you:

How old is the plant? Newly planted or a large established one? What cultivar/type is it ?

If newly planted, how was the soil in the area you planted it in? Light conditions?

If you go out and tug at the base of the trunk now, are the roots loose, pulling out of the soil?

Glad to help ya.

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**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-my-azaleas-in-trouble/491028/5 "2009-03-28T00:45:26Z")

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> [@Chessic\_Sense](#):
>
> I meant the leaves turned brown. The petals fell off. Strangely, the leaves aren’t all brown. The parts nearest the stem are green. Some leaves are dotted green throughout. All the leaves are mostly brown though.

It’s not dead then. It might be early for you to see growth. I don’t know about spring progression in your area.