Over several years, I have had two consecutive azaleas, planted about 3 metres from the foot of a mid-sized cedar tree, wither. When I moved the first one to another location, it started to thrive. Its replacement died. Two years ago, I moved the first azalea, by then healthy, back to its original spot. Now it is looking very ill again. Is the cedar poisoning the soil? Is there an alternative flowering shrub that will not be so affected? The cedar will have to be removed some time in the future as it is pushing against a retaining wall. But I imagine the soil will need years to recover. Thanks from Maple Ridge, BC
Not that I'm aware of. But cedars and azaleas do prefer different soil types, so if the soil is good for the cedar (they often grow on limestone in the wild, so it would tolerate e.g. old builder's lime rubble in the soil), it might not be good for the azalea (which needs acidic soil, and can't tolerate lime-rich soil). Also possible is that the cedar is taking up most of the available water, leaving the ground too dry for the azalea.
Being in Maple Ridge poster is almost certainly asking about Thuja plicata and not a Cedrus. Two problems azaleas can have with larger conifers being in proximity are droughtiness due to the foliage of the conifer deflecting rainfall and weevil damage, which is visibly worse when susceptible plants are placed beneath conifers (and building overhangs).
Amen, I second that, Ron. I have noticed the deflecting of the rainfall, weevil damage, and the dryness, as with roof overhangs...
