Sumptuous deep red flowers cover the dense upright evergreen azalea 'Ward's Ruby' in mid-spring. The unscented, broadly funnel-shaped flowers have a darker zone at the base of their upper lobes. The oval glossy dark green leaves take on burgundy and bronze tints in winter. This cultivar slowly forms a rounded waist-high shrub.
The Kurume Hybrids result from some 300 years of hybridizing in Japan. Their ancestry likely includes Rhododendron kaempferi, R. kiusianum, and other Japanese species and hybrids.
Ward's Ruby azaleas should be grown with partial shade and highly organic acid soil that is evenly moist but well-drained. Plant them shallowly and mulch well to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. They prosper with warm summers and cool winters and require some winter cold for good growth. The flower buds develop in summer for the following spring’s display, so prune shortly after flowering, if necessary. Ideally, place them where they will not require pruning.
Kurume azaleas work well massed or as specimens in woodland gardens, mixed borders, shrub plantings, and containers. They are a staple of florists and a traditional choice for bonsai.