Formosa Azalea
Rhododendron indica 'Formosa'
- Stay Protected with Plant Sentry ™
Formosa Azalea - #3 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
From | To | S&H |
---|---|---|
$0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
$20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
$50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
$70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
$100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
$130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
$150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
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2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
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2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
#1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
#3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
#6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
#7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Formosa Azalea highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun
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Moisture
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Soil
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Growth RateMedium
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Pollinator Friendly
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Pollinator Required
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Pruning Time
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Bloom PeriodEarly Spring
Growing Zones 8-9
Vivid flowers, big, robust shrub! If you want a bold, large, and showy broad-leaved evergreen shrub to add color, texture, and structure to your landscape design, you can't go wrong with Formosa Azalea (Rhododendron indica 'Formosa')! Fabulous, large lavender-pink blooms are speckled with a cute, darker accent blotch on the top petal. These big blooms make a tremendous impact to kick off the growing season.
Formosa Azaleas are large, colorful shrubs that just get better year after year. They bloom early, so depending upon where you live, the color show starts in either late winter or early spring. Fine-textured broad-leaved evergreen foliage remains green and grows lush and full all the down to the ground.
The green foliage color is a wonderful foil for the brightly colored blooms. Get ready to see butterflies and Hummingbirds visit your yard! Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 8 to 9, these are heat and humidity-tolerant! This Southern indica evergreen Azalea can handle the heat and even thrives in full sun! These large shrubs mature at 6-8 feet in height and width! Talk about high impact!
Planting and Application:
Count on this dependable heavy bloomer to decorate your landscape. Versatile, large-scale Formosa shrubs will draw attention wherever it's planted. You'll easily gain a designer look curb appeal, all for the price of a few shrubs!
Try them along the back of your mixed shrub border. They will make a gorgeous backdrop for smaller plants. Use Formosa as a special accent shrub near your entryway. Or, include one or more at the corner of your house to anchor your foundation planting.
Would you like a bit more privacy? These year-round shrubs can even be mass planted or used as long hedges. Why not enliven a row of evergreen trees with Formosa planted on their sunny side? Let Formosa become your go-to solution for a beautiful privacy screen. Add several behind your patio seating. You and your guests will enjoy an enchanting sense of privacy. Create a solid screen by planting them 2 feet apart on center. Measure from the center of one to the center of the next plant.
Carve out a getaway space just for yourself in your backyard. Formosa shrubs can grow into the walls of a lavish Secret Garden, or outdoor Yoga Studio. This boldly sophisticated specimen will make you smile!
- Huge, Bright Lavender-Pink Blooms Cover the Shrub in Early Spring
- Upright Growth Habit & Broad-Leaved Evergreen Foliage
- Larger Size Azalea Variety
- Perfect Flowering Hedge - Add Privacy & Structure
- Use as a Large Screen or as Living Walls for Garden Rooms
- Great as a Mass Planting!
#ProPlantTips For Care
Formosa is a rugged variety that can handle full sunlight. It will also do well with a little shade. Rhododendrons and Azaleas do best in slightly acidic, well-drained soil. If you suffer from poor drainage, build a raised bed 18 inches high. Use your native soil and mix in a few handfuls of pine bark soil conditioner and peat moss. Plants also need plenty of air circulation. Give at least 6 feet from any building, or tight corner. Good airflow around each plant dries the foliage quickly.
When planting Azaleas, it's better to plant too high, than too low. Mound up when planting by leaving a few inches of the root ball showing above the ground. Pull pine bark or pine straw mulch up to cover the root system.
Formosa Azalea should be watered regularly and mulched applied to keep the ground moist. Reapply a fresh layer each year. Always pull the mulch back 6 inches from the stems. Weed your plantings regularly, as the shallow roots won't like the competition. Apply a good, organic, slow-release fertilizer in early spring according to the product directions. Look for a formula designed for Acid Loving plants.
Prune to the correct shape and reduce the size, if needed, right after the spring flowers begin to fade. Don't wait, as later pruning will threaten your blooms for next spring.
- Grows in Full Sun & Partial Shade
- Low Maintenance in Slightly Acidic Well-Drained Soil
- Moderate Moisture & Mulched Beds
- Prune Immediately After Spring Flowers Fade
- Appreciates Mulched Beds
- Easy-Care, Vigorous Flowering Shrub
You'll never grow tired of this pretty workhorse! Order a Formosa Azalea shrub from the expert growers at Nature Hills today. Please order enough plants to complete your entire project. This hot plant is in high demand, and it's easy to see why.
Azalea and Rhododendron Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to plant Rhododendrons?
Azaleas and Rhododendrons prefer partial shade (both dappled shade all day or morning sun with afternoon shade). Plant in a slightly acidic, consistently moist, enriched, and well-drained soil location for best results. Their shallow roots dislike soggy soil but thrive with a 3-4 inch layer of arborist mulch over their surface.
How big do Rhododendrons get?
Formosa Azalea can grow 6-8 feet in height and in width, when grown in optimal conditions.
Are Rhododendrons low maintenance?
Azalea and Rhododendron shrubs are very easy to grow and low maintenance. Water during drought, prune only after flowering and fertilize with an acid-loving organic, slow-release flowering plant fertilizer.
What is the difference between Rhododendrons and Azaleas?
All Azaleas are Rhododendrons but not all Rhodondendrons are Azaleas. Azalea tends to be smaller-sized with smaller leaves and stems, while Rhododendrons can be larger with stout branching and larger bloom trusses. There can both be either deciduous or broad-leaved evergreens.
How Do I Find Azaleas and Rhododendrons for Sale Near Me?
Make your life easier and your yard happier by shopping for Azaleas at NatureHills.com online nursery. You'll find a massive selection of flowering bushes for sale, including many lovely varieties!
Choose the right shrub for your area by first finding your growing zone by entering your zip code in the field above the Plant Highlights section on our product pages. Narrow down your options by plant hardiness zone, sun availability, and size requirements.
Place your order, knowing it's backed by the Nature Hills Nursery product guarantee and protected by Plant Sentry™, which helps ensure regulated plant materials aren't sent to prohibited areas.
Expect to receive your plants at the appropriate planting time for your growing zone when temperatures are safest to ship through and into.
What Shipping Options Do You Offer?
NatureHills.com works closely with our growers and nursery professionals to ensure we ship when it is most appropriate for your area. Our goal is to deliver the hardiest plants by avoiding extreme high and low temperatures. Check out our shipping schedule for more information and to learn our wills and don'ts when it comes to shipping plants. Find your Azaleas for sale here at NatureHills.com!