Best 11 Azalea Companion Plants (+1 to Avoid)

Think about plants that thrive in similar environments as your azaleas when choosing which ones to put with them! Also, think about which would include acidic soil and shaded regions. These are necessary for the best possible growth. Not only flowers are azalea companion plants. You also have the option of low-growing plants, shrubs, and trees.

Azaleas thrive best on soil that drains well and has an acidic pH of 4.5 to 6.0. According to studies¹, they need a soil condition that can hold some rainwater without drowning the plant. Azaleas thrive in partial shade. If at all workable, in an area that receives both, morning light and afternoon shade.

Best Azalea Companion Plants

• Barberry
• Bleeding heart
• Blueberry
• Holly
• Hydrangea
• Mountain laurel
• Plantain lily
• Snowball bush
• Spotted dead nettle
• Summersweet
• Witch hazel

Barberries as Azalea Companion Plants

The first member of the best azalea companion plants is Barberries. Your azalea garden stands out with barberry bushes. This shrub has red and gold winter fruit that entices pollinators. It is simple to cultivate and works well for borders and hedges. They need the same conditions for growth as azaleas.

Bleeding Heart with Azalea

Bleeding hearts thrive in the shaded, tall-growing azaleas. Bleeding hearts have the advantage of dying back in the scorching summer. Like that, they make space for the next plants. How great is that! Then, at about the same time as azaleas in the early spring, the next step begins. They return and flower with delicate stalks of crimson hanging, heart-shaped blooms.

Blueberry & Azalea

The next member of the best azalea companion plants is blueberries. Acidic soil is ideal for low-bush blueberry shrubs. It helps them grow excellent berries. They also lure beneficial insects! They are excellent pollinators for native bees and butterflies but don’t draw pests. Blueberry bushes may thrive in dark regions even if they prefer full sun.

Holly and Azalea

Your azaleas look lovely next to your holly plants. It features vivid red berries and dark green, evergreen foliage. Hollies demand acidic soil and excellent drainage like azaleas do. Another great fact is that your holly keeps mockingbirds and songbirds away!

Hydrangea as a Companion

Summer hydrangeas bloom with colorful, spectacular blossoms. Hydrangeas like acidic soil and filtered sunshine, which makes them great azalea companion plants. Hydrangeas come in a variety of vibrant colors. Like Blueberries, Hydrangea plants attract beneficial insects. They are excellent pollinators because they draw hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

Mountain laurel

Rhododendron, azalea, and blueberry are also members of the heath family. The best member of this family is mountain laurel. This qualifies it as an appropriate azalea companion plant. Foragers like deer and rabbits get repelled by their dense, glossy leaves. So chose mountain laurel as protectors to your azalea plants!

Plantain lily with Azalea

Plantain lily is also called Hosta and is a great azalea companion plant. Hostas provide thick, summertime foliage. They do well in areas with some shade and some sunlight. Hostas and azaleas together provide a rich, elegant appearance. There are several plantain lily cultivars with white and green or total green leaves.

Snowball Bush Planted with Azalea

The Snowball Bush, often called Viburnum, has eye-catching white bloom balls. They don’t need much upkeep and are easy to cultivate in your azalea yard. This plant prefers acidic soil and dappled sunshine. They resist foraging animals and are perfect for pollinator gardens. So plant them nearby to help your azaleas grow.

Spotted Dead Nettle

This plant’s silver leaves are sometimes also known as beacon silver. They stand out when placed close to an azalea plant. It is in bloom and has vibrant colors. Spotted dead nettle also has beautiful ground cover in bare locations. That is why it is perfect for planting alongside azalea bushes and other companions.

Summersweets as Azalea Companion Plants

Summersweet is also known as clethra and sweet pepperbush. These shrubs make excellent companions for azaleas. They bloom in the spring because they grow in big clusters of white or pink flowers in the late summer. Acidic soil and adequate drainage are other preferences of summersweet. For pollination, it draws bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Witch Hazel

Witch hazels come in a variety of sizes, from big bushes to little trees. They are excellent azalea companion plants. Their neutral summer foliage becomes golden in the fall. They are a nice compliment to an azalea garden since they have little blooms that bloom in the fall.

What Not to Plant with Azalea

Lavender

The only bad azalea companion plant is lavender. Lavender is an herb that has gorgeous blooms. Azaleas with lavender seem like they would be a revitalizing sight. If these two could grow together, this duo would add aesthetic appeal to your landscape. We have bad news about this idea. It is not recommended to pick lavender next to azalea. Only because these two would look great together, does not mean that they go well together.

The preferences of azalea and lavender plants crash against each other. The main problem is the soil. Azalea favors acidic soil. On the other side, lavender prefers alkaline soil, which is a no go for your azalea plants.

The next point is that azaleas love moist soil whereas lavender only prefers dry soil. This makes the situation even worse.

The last reason is the environment. Azalea plants endure more shade but less sun. Lavender on contrary wants more sunshine and does not enjoy the shade.

Good news is that lavender goes well with other plants: 11 Lavender Companion Plants Destroying the Pest Problem

To sum up, we see that there are many problems if you were thinking about companionship between these two. The main reason is the soil. If both coexist the result would be the death of one, and poor growth of the other.

References

1. Riek, J. D., Keyser, E. D., Calsyn, E., Eeckhaut, T., Huylenbroeck, J. V., & Kobayashi, N. (2018). In Ornamental Crops(pp. 237-271). Springer, Cham.