Woody > Rhododendron > Rhododendron × gable > Rhododendron × gable 'Stewartstonian'
Rhododendron × gable
'Stewartstonian'
Stewartstonian Azalea
Origin: Stewartstonian Azalea is a hybrid created by Joseph Gables, a nurseryman and professional farmer who lived in Stewartstown, Pennsylvania. The cultivar name ‘Stewartstonian’ and the botanical name Rhododendron x gable ‘Stewartstonian’ directly correlates to the town in which the hybrid was created.
Mike's
Opinion
"
The Stewartstonian Azalea is an American hybrid evergreen shrub. It is a gorgeous looking shrub that can enrich any garden year round as the dark green leaves turn to a wine red in the colder seasons. When spring comes along, the shrub starts to bloom with beautiful dark orange, red-orange flowers offering high ornamental value. Due to the Stewartstonian Azalea having a dense growth habit, maintaining a shrub like this may not be ideal. Being a partial shade grower, the shrub is a great option for somewhere along the perimeter of your house that is covered from the sun. The plant enjoys water, and slightly acidic well-drained soil. With not really any negative characteristics, this plant is perfect for someone who doesn't know too much about maintaining plants, and just wants something pretty for the garden. These shrubs don't come to be very large and are very slow-growing, but can live up to 40 years old. After some research, it is clear that this plant is fairly fussy and needs rich soils and protection to be happy and grow. This plant does suffer from some pests and diseases, but they can easily be resolved with a professional or some research and hands-on work.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Ericaceae |
| Genus |
| Rhododendron |
| Species |
| × gable |
| Cultivar |
| 'Stewartstonian' |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Shrub (evergreen) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 5 - 8 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 6b |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H5 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| 12 - 18 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 55 - 65 |
| Height |
| 1 - 1.5 m |
| Spread |
| 1 - 1.5 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| 'Stewartstonian' is a medium-sized, evergreen shrub with gorgeous red-orange flowers and glossy green leaves. Slow-growing shrub that is somewhat picky to the conditions needed to grow, but can withstand colder temperatures. Beautiful addition to any garden space with its neutral shrub appearance. |
| Landscape |
| The Stewartstonian Azalea plays a part in mass plantings because of its habit to grow densely. If planted together, they can look quite nice while taking up space in the garden. The main use of this plant is really just to add accent and colour to gardens, making them pop. It could be used as a multi seasonal specimen plant because of its beauty year-round, from green glossy leaves to a red-orange flower. |
| Cultivation |
| Likes to be grown in partly-shaded areas, even though they can tolerate sun that is not too hot. If growing in a hot area, you may notice the leaf tips beginning to be scorched. Prefers to be grown in medium moisture acidic soils that are organically rich. Good soil drainage is also a very important part in keeping the shrub alive, as roots can begin to rot if sat in water for too long. pH levels are preferred to be 5.0 - 5.5. It is also known to not plant your Stewartstonian Azalea in the drip line of a walnut tree, as it seems to be sensitive to the toxic juglones produced by the roots of walnut trees. This shrub also likes to be covered from strong winds. |
| Shape |
| Can grow up to 1.5 m at full maturity, with others staying around 1 m. The width of the shrub grows the same size as the height, making it a semi-sphere shaped shrub. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Glossy evergreen foliage, blooming with very loud red-orange colour. This shrub can grow up to 1.5 m by 1.5m and has a dense appearance. Flowers are very fragrant when in bloom. Relatively coarse texture can be expected, making it stand out from other evergreens. |
| Pests |
| When pests suck all of the sap out of ‘Stewartstonian’ leaves, it can change the appearance of the leaves by leaving them with a pale look. As the pest infestation becomes worse, you'll start to see white speckles and eventually brown curled up leaves that have died. Both lace bugs and spider mites are responsible for these infestations. Lace bugs tend to latch on to the bottom of leaves and suck the sap right out. If you find fine webbing on your ‘Stewartstonian' leaves, then you can assume spider mites have been to work. Black looking leaves can be blamed by sooty mold, which will not kill the plant directly. White fly and Bark scale honeydew leads to sooty mold issues. Brown leaf tips can be a sign of calcium or potassium deficiencies. |
| Habitat |
| Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The bark is a brown colour that visibly has a rough texture. Stems have a red-brown colour and are very thin and smooth. The colour of the stems blends in very well with the colour of bloom. |
| Leaf Description |
| Glossy, deep-green leaves can be expected year round in warmer zones. Leaves can turn to a brown-red colour in late fall in areas that have colder winters. Azalea leaves are lanceolate shaped. Leaves can be coated with tiny little white hairs. Leaves can get fairly lengthy and usually reach around 6 cm - 10 cm. |
| Flower Description |
| Spring brings a vibrant orange-red colour to the ‘Stewartstonian’, making it pop in the garden. 5 oval shaped pedals make up this beautiful flower; 5 stamens. When flowers are in bloom, they are showy and attract lots of attention. Attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Flowers are fairly small considering this shrub only grows up to 1.5 m. |
| Colour Description |
| This shrub is covered with glossy dark green evergreen foliage that can turn to a brown-red in the cold winters. Flower colour when in bloom is a bright orange-red. Orange-red flowers start to bloom in April or May. Bark is a woody brown colour. |
| Texture Description |
| The ‘Stewartstonian’ maintains a coarse texture throughout all seasons. |
| Propagation |
| It is best to be propagated through cuttings, using semi-wooden cuttings from the top side of the shrub where new shoots are forming. All leaves must be removed except for the leaves on the very top of the cutting. Using powdered fertilizer, dip the bottom of the cutting in it. Next, put the cutting into a pot with nice moist soil. Should not be stored in direct sunlight during propagation, but needs to be stored in a warm place. It will take about 8 weeks for the roots to develop enough to be able to move it into a permanent home. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| The ‘Stewartstonian’ is known to be used as a landscape plant. The Rhododendron species has been used for medicinal purposes; used in traditional medicine to treat pain, asthma, colds and skin problems. You will most likely find this shrub in a residential garden sitting pretty. |
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