'Elsie Lee' azalea (photo by Sam Kinsey)

In the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7), if you desire to grow azaleas in above ground containers year around, you must select winter hardy cultivars. Two of the best for containers are ‘Elsie Lee’ (2½- inch wide semi-double light lavender blooms) and ‘Herbert’ (1 ¾- inch wide bright purple with dark blotch). ‘Elsie Lee’ boasts a neat, compact shrub form while ‘Herbert’ has a dense, slightly more spreading habit.

Both exhibit exceptionally long flower period. Spring – summer leaves are medium green, changing to bright yellow, orange, and/or red shades in the autumn. They’re mid-season bloomers and vigorous growers, attaining 3-4 feet in height and width in 10 years.

Grow azaleas to keep roots cool inside the lightly colored (not black) containers. Follow a regular watering and nutrient feeding schedule to establish a deep, extensive root system. Pot in a well drained peat and bark based potting soil or medium with a 2-3” surface layer of mulch. Feed with an acid-based liquid fertilizer like Miracle-Gro™ or Miracid™. Prune azaleas as needed to shape plants and to eliminate dead or diseased twigs.

‘Elsie Lee’ is a Tony Shammarello hybrid from Ohio. ‘Herbert’ azalea (R. yedoense var. poukhanense x R. ‘Hexe’) is a fabulous David Gable hybrid from Pennsylvania. Bred more than 50 years ago, they’re winter hardy to -15 degrees F (USDA Zones 5-9).