Azalea 'Karen' is a robust semi evergreen azalea valued for its lavender pink blooms and cold tolerance. Blooming mid to late spring, it forms a compact mound of glossy foliage that often turns bronze in fall.
Height & Spread: 3 - 4 ft x 3 - 5 ft
Bloom Time: Mid to late spring
Light Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Soil Preference: Acidic, well drained soil with consistent moisture
Watering Needs: Moderate; mulch to retain soil moisture
Deer Resistance: Moderately deer resistant when mature
Native Status
This cultivar is a hybrid with partial ancestry from native species. It is widely cultivated in North America for ornamental use.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Bees
- Provides nectar for bumblebees and solitary bees during its bloom season.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 3 - 5 ft apart depending on grouping density and airflow needs.
Landscape Placement
- Works well in informal groupings, acid beds, and mixed shrub borders with other spring blooming shrubs.
Companion Plants
- Pieris japonica (Lily of the Valley Shrub) - Offers early bloom and evergreen structure to contrast with azalea foliage.
- Blechnum spicant (Deer Fern) - Adds finely textured evergreen ground cover beneath semi evergreen shrubs.
- Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mop' - Provides golden threadlike texture and year round color.
- Rhododendron 'Cunningham’s White' - Adds classic spring structure and neutral bloom pairing.
- Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' - Offers heart shaped foliage with silver veining beneath azalea blooms.