Every kindergartener with a coloring book knows that leaves are supposed to be green. So if you find your Azaleas’ leaves turning an unusual or unsightly color, it’s understandable to be concerned. What does it mean when Azalea foliage turns from lush, shiny green to red, yellow, white, black, or brown?
When Azaleas’ leaves change color, it’s usually a sign that something is wrong. Pests, diseases, nutrient deficiencies, soil problems, too much or not enough water, sun scald, and cold injury can all cause Azalea leaves to change color. If it’s autumn, though, you may have nothing to worry about; some Azaleas naturally change color in the fall.
There are so many reasons for an Azalea’s leaves to change color that it can take a little detective work to figure out what’s going on with your plants. That’s why we’ve broken it down for you here. A change in leaf color can be harmless, but sometimes it’s a serious symptom, and you need to act quickly to protect your Azaleas.
Azalea Discoloration
Bugs, diseases, environmental problems, and natural seasonal change can turn Azaleas’ shiny, green leaves to yellow, pale green, brown, white, black, red, orange, and even purple. They can also develop brown, black, or yellow spots. Yikes! What should you do?
To help you diagnose the cause of your Azalea’s change in leaf color, we’ve put together this chart. Refer to the sections below to read about what’s affecting your Azalea leaves and what to do about it.
COLOR | CAUSE |
Red or Purple | Fall color |
White, Gray, Silver or Bleached Out | Powdery mildew |
Piercing-sucking pests like lace bugs or spider mites | |
Black or Black Spots | Sooty mold |
Pests such as Azalea whitefly | |
Brown, or Brown Tips and Edges | Fall color change |
Not enough water | |
Nutrient deficiencies | |
Root problems such as root rot, stunt nematode, or fertilizer burn | |
Too much water or poor drainage | |
Dieback | |
Winter injury | |
Pests | |
Diseases | |
Green with Brown Spots | Fungal leaf spots |
Leafminers | |
Sun scald | |
Yellow or Pale Green | Soil not acidic enough |
Nutrient deficiencies | |
Pests (Leafminers) | |
Diseases | |
Sun scald | |
Too much water or poor drainage | |
Not enough water | |
Fall color |
Why Do Azalea Leaves Turn Red?
Fall Color:
Some Azaleas change color in the fall, and their leaves can turn beautiful shades of red and other colors. It isn’t always a bad thing when an Azalea’s leaves change color. If your Azalea’s leaves turn red in the fall, don’t worry – just enjoy the show. Many varieties of both deciduous and evergreen Azaleas have showy fall coloring, including purples, reds, oranges, and yellows.
If you’re seeing your Azalea’s usual fall color at the wrong time, though, this is a cause for concern. Some Azaleas will turn their fall colors when they’re under severe stress, such as from root rot (more on that below).
Why Do Azalea Leaves Turn White?
If an Azalea’s leaves are white, silvery, bleached out, or gray – or if they have whitish spots – you’re probably looking at either powdery mildew or pests. Below I’ll break both options down and let you know what needs to be done to help.
Powdery Mildew
The Problem: Powdery mildew appears as a white or grayish coating on leaves, often starting in small spots in mid to late summer and then spreading over the leaf surface. It can appear on both the top and bottom sides of leaves, with young leaves generally being the most affected. Powdery mildew characteristically looks dusted on, as though the Azalea had been sprinkled with flour.
Powdery mildew is fungal and can spread from plant to plant. It can also be found on other parts of Azaleas besides their leaves and can cause buds to drop. While powdery mildew isn’t a serious disease for Azaleas, an infected Azalea might grow more slowly or have fewer flowers over time. Deciduous Azaleas are more susceptible to powdery mildew than evergreen Azaleas.
What’s Causing the Problem: Fungi love warm, humid conditions, and you’re especially likely to see powdery mildew on your Azaleas if you live somewhere with a humid climate, such as the Pacific northwest.
Azaleas will also be more susceptible to powdery mildew if you’re watering too much, if they don’t get enough sun, or if they’re planted too close together so that they don’t get good air circulation. Using too much nitrogen fertilizer is also associated with powdery mildew outbreaks.
The Solution: Powdery mildew probably won’t kill your Azaleas, but it is unsightly, and you’ll probably want to do something about it. Try changing the way you take care of your Azaleas, moving them to a more ideal location, or using a fungicide.
Make sure you’re not overwatering your Azaleas and water at ground level rather than wetting the leaves. If you’re using nitrogen fertilizer, consider using less. Also, if your Azaleas get a lot of shade or are crowded, consider doing some pruning or transplanting your Azaleas to a spot with more sun and better air circulation.
An all-purpose fungicide is also a good option for getting rid of powdery mildew. You’ll need to apply it repeatedly and make sure to spray the underside of leaves if they are affected, as well as the tops. Different fungicides work in different ways, so follow the application instructions on the package. You can try benomyl, triadimefon, or dodemorph acetate.
Piercing-Sucking Pests
The Problem: When pests suck the sap out of Azalea leaves, it gives leaves a stippled or lacy appearance that is white or silvery. At first, you might notice that the leaves are looking a little pale. As the infestation advances, you’ll see leaves with tiny white speckles, leaves that look white, bleached out, or thin, and sometimes yellow, brown, or curled up leaves as affected parts of the plant die.
Both piercing-sucking bugs and powdery mildew can cause Azalea leaves to look whitish, but it’s easy to tell the difference. Try wiping an affected leaf with your finger. If the white stuff comes off, it’s powdery mildew. If it doesn’t, it’s probably pest damage.
What’s Causing the Problem: Lace bugs are the most common piercing-sucking pest that attacks Azaleas, but spider mites are also a likely culprit. Both of these are serious pests that can kill Azaleas. The damage to the leaves looks about the same, but there are other ways to tell the difference.
Lace bugs (Stephanitis pyrioides) hang out on the underside of Azalea leaves, piercing them with their mouthparts and sucking out the juice. Gross! Lace bug eggs hatch in spring, and the infestation grows over the summer. You may not notice until there is severe leaf damage.
If you suspect a lace bug infestation, check the underside of leaves. The adults are small, pale, winged insects about ⅛ to ¼ inch long, with a lacy-looking body. They leave tiny black spots of poop. You may also find eggs, nymphs (young lace bugs), and shed skins. Lace bug nymphs are black and spiny, and the eggs are tiny, oval, and cream-colored.
Spider mites are smaller than lace bugs. They are so small that it’s hard to tell they’re bugs – they look like tiny dark spots, usually on the underside of leaves. Like lace bugs, spider mites suck the sap out of leaves and can be hard to spot until you notice severe damage. Unlike Azalea lace bugs, spider mites may spread to other species of plants.
The telltale sign of spider mites is the fine webbing they build on and between leaves. It looks like cobwebs, and you’ll see tiny mites in the webbing. However, the webs don’t appear until you have a severe infestation. At this point, you need to take action right away because the mites will reproduce and spread quickly.
The Solution: To get rid of lace bugs or spider mites, your options include physically removing them, applying pesticides, and getting some predator insects. The damaged leaves won’t recover, but new leaves will be healthy if you kill the pests.
The first step is to remove the affected leaves. Leaves that are only slightly nibbled can be left on the plant, but severely damaged leaves will probably die anyway, so you might as well remove them and get rid of the pests living on them. Throw the leaves and twigs in the trash or burn them. Don’t put them in the compost since they’re covered with bugs and eggs. Getting rid of affected leaves may be enough to end the infestation, but usually, you’ll need to take other steps as well.
A natural solution is to get some predator insects from your garden store or online. Lace bug predators include lacewings, assassin bugs, and spiders; for spider mites, ladybugs and thrips. Predacious mites can eat both lace bugs and spider mites. These may not be enough to control a severe infestation, so continue physically removing affected leaves until the infestation is under control.
Insecticide options for lace bugs include topical, systemic, and soil application products. Topical insecticides, like bifenthrin, lambda cyhalothrin, malathion, permethrin, dinotefuran, and cyfluthrin, have to be sprayed directly on the pests, so make sure you spray the underside of the leaves.
A systemic pesticide like acephate, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, flupyradifurone, dimethoate, or pyriproxyfen is sprayed on the leaves but will move through them to get at pests wherever they are on the leaf.
Topical and systemic sprays need to be applied a few times to kill the next generations of lace bugs or spider mites as they hatch. Imidacloprid and dinotefuran products are applied to the soil around the Azalea and only need one application to control pests all summer.
Pesticides are great for getting rid of lace bugs, but try other options before using them on spider mites. Using pesticides, especially carbaryl and imidacloprid, can make a spider mite infestation worse by killing off their natural predators. If you do use a pesticide for spider mites, bifenthrin and tau-fluvalinate are good choices.
You can also try an insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, like neem oil. These mostly kill young lace bugs and spider mites, so they aren’t as effective, but they are less likely to harm beneficial critters. I personally spray spider mites with rubbing alcohol. With these products, you’ll have to spray the bugs directly, and you’ll need several applications over a couple of weeks or more.
If you’ve had a spider mite or lace bug infestation, check your Azaleas periodically next spring to catch any repeat infestation early. Less intensive interventions are needed to control an infestation if you catch it early.
Why Do Azalea Leaves Turn Black?
Finding black leaves on your Azaleas can be pretty alarming, but there is a fix. The culprit is usually sooty mold, and sooty mold shows up when you have a pest problem.
Sooty Mold
The Problem: Sooty mold appears as a black coating on leaves and sometimes stems. It may be spotty, or the spots may merge to cover entire leaves. When this happens, the leaves can’t get enough light and may die as a result. Sooty mold usually won’t kill Azaleas, but it could be a symptom of a more serious pest problem.
What’s Causing the Problem: Sooty mold isn’t there for the Azalea leaves. It shows up when bugs leave a sticky, sweet waste product called honeydew on an Azalea. Whitefly and bark scale are the most common Azalea pests that produce honeydew, leading to problems with sooty mold. Bark scales hang out on stems, though, so sooty mold on leaves suggests a whitefly problem.
You can also have problems with sooty mold on Azaleas planted under trees infested with pests because the insects’ honeydew can drop from the trees onto the Azaleas. Check trees above Azaleas for aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, or other pest infestations if you find unexplained sooty mold.
The Solution: Sooty mold can be washed off, but that’s only a temporary fix. You need to get rid of the pest problem to prevent sooty mold from coming back. I’ll explain how in the next section.
Azalea Whiteflies
Several other insects also produce honeydew that causes sooty mold, but whitefly is the most common on Azalea leaves. Azaleas infested with whiteflies may appear unhealthy and slow to grow as the insects suck the sap out of the leaves.
Azalea whiteflies (Pealius azaleae), in their adult form, are white flying insects about 1/16 of an inch long that resemble moths. The easiest way to identify them is by the clouds of these white critters that fly into the air when the Azalea is disturbed. (Yuck!) You may also see earlier life stages of whiteflies on the undersides of leaves but these are pretty tiny. They’re oval shaped and transparent or yellow.
Horticultural oils such as neem oil are a good choice because they kill whiteflies and the sooty mold that shows up when you have a whitefly infestation. Insecticidal soaps can also kill whiteflies. One thorough spray should be enough, but keep an eye on the Azalea and spray again after a week or two if necessary.
Contact and systemic insecticides work well on whiteflies, but I recommend systemic ones. Whiteflies tend to hang out on the underside of leaves which are harder to spray, plus the adults fly around to different parts of the plant. Imidacloprid, dinotefuran, and acephate are good choices.
Be careful NOT to use carbaryl or any pyrethroids because these can actually make the situation worse. They aren’t effective at killing whiteflies, but they will kill insects that eat whiteflies.
Why Do Azalea Leaves Turn Brown?
Since leaves generally turn brown when they die, anything that kills Azalea leaves can cause them to turn brown. If you notice brown leaves on your Azalea, look for other symptoms to help you diagnose the problem. Here I’ll cover some of the causes of brown leaves on Azaleas that may not come with a lot of other symptoms.
Autumn
Some Azaleas naturally turn brown in the fall. Deciduous Azaleas lose their leaves before winter, and evergreen varieties can drop some of their leaves too. It’s normal for some Azalea varieties’ leaves to turn brown at this time of year.
Not Enough Water
Azalea leaves turning brown or yellow – or brown at the tips and edges – and looking droopy, wilted, or curled may indicate that the Azalea just isn’t getting enough water. If these symptoms show up when you haven’t had much rain, and you haven’t been watering, try watering your Azaleas and see if they perk up.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Brown leaf tips or edges can be a sign of potassium or calcium deficiencies. Either the soil doesn’t have enough of these nutrients, or the Azalea is having trouble absorbing them. Nutrient deficiencies also trigger leaves to turn yellow, so I’ve covered them in the section on yellow leaves.
Root Problems
The Problem: Brown leaves or brown tips and edges can signify that an Azalea is having problems with its roots. Possibilities include root rot, stunt nematode, fertilizer burn, and overwatering or poor soil drainage. Other symptoms of root problems include pale green or yellow leaves, a wilted appearance, and reduced growth, sometimes of the whole plant or sometimes of just one section.
What’s Causing the Problem: Phytophthora root rot is caused by fungus in the soil attacking a plant’s roots. It can become a problem for Azaleas when the soil is too wet, or the plant is stressed. You’ll notice that your Azalea isn’t growing as well and new growth may be smaller than normal. Leaves will start to curl, droop, and turn pale or brown, or sometimes change to their fall colors at the wrong time. Eventually, the bark just above ground level will turn dark brown or reddish.
Stunt nematode, as the name suggests, causes stunted growth in Azaleas, and also brown or yellow leaves, sometimes yellow with green veins. Nematodes are parasites that live in the soil, and stunt nematodes feed on plant roots. The best way to tell whether your Azalea has nematodes is to get your soil tested for them.
Too much fertilizer can damage Azalea roots, causing leaves to turn brown (sometimes just at the tips) or yellow and wilt, and the plant may appear generally unhealthy. Azaleas’ fine, shallow roots are prone to damage from too much fertilizer.
Roots can also be damaged if they get too wet, usually because the soil isn’t draining well enough. Compacted or clay soil are the most likely culprit. Roots can drown in too much water, and the wetness can also lead to root rot. The symptoms are similar to those of other root problems.
The Solution: Root problems are challenging because the issue is happening underground where it’s hard to detect and hard to treat. Nothing will save roots that are already dying, but to protect any roots that haven’t been affected yet, here’s what you can try:
- If you suspect root rot, you can apply a fungicide to the soil around the Azalea.
- If you suspect excess fertilizer, you can try flushing the soil with lots of water, keeping in mind that the fertilizer will spread wherever the water goes.
- Dig up the Azalea, cut off the dead or dying roots, thoroughly wash the rest of the roots, and replant the Azalea in a different location.
Unfortunately, Azaleas that get root problems usually die. If you suspect root rot or stunt nematode, you should remove the infected plant promptly and dispose of it so that the problem doesn’t spread to other plants. Don’t plant a new Azalea in a spot where you’ve had root problems before, or it could get sick too.
The name of the game with Azalea root problems is prevention. Keep your plants healthy so that they will be less susceptible to disease of any kind. Plant Azaleas in well drained soil and be careful not to over water. Only use inorganic fertilizers if you need to.
Dieback
The Problem: If the leaves on some branches of your Azalea are turning brown and dying, you may have a branch dieback problem.
What’s Causing the Problem: Dieback is caused by fungi and pests. The phytophthora fungus that causes root rot can also affect branches, and so can the fungus botryosphaeria. With phytophthora, leaves will turn pale, yellow, and brown and fall off, with whole branches dying in as little as a couple of weeks. Botryosphaeria also causes leaves to turn brown and curl up, but they don’t fall off.
Insects that make holes in stems, like rhododendron borers, can also cause branch dieback. Their wormy larvae live inside branches, where you can see them if you cut a branch open. The adults are small flying insects with long, wasp-like bodies. You may see holes in leaves or curling leaves where they’ve been eating.
The Solution: You can’t effectively treat dieback with either fungicides or pesticides. Remove affected branches, and the rest of the plant may be ok. Carefully get rid of infected parts of the plant to prevent the problem from spreading. Phytophthora is pretty lethal for Azaleas, but other types of dieback are less serious.
Winter Injury
The Problem: If a few branches here and there on your Azalea have turned brown, or if the tips and edges of the leaves are brown, winter injury may be the cause, especially if you had unusual winter weather. Cold injury may not show up until spring or summer, even if that’s months after the damage was done. Split bark and brown or black buds are other symptoms that suggest winter injury.
What’s Causing the Problem: Many varieties of Azalea don’t do well with cold winters, especially if they are exposed to too much sun or wind. Azalea leaves can get too dry in the winter when the plant can’t absorb water from the frozen ground. Because the problem mainly has to do with dryness, both unusually mild and unusually severe winters can harm Azaleas, depending on the circumstances.
The Solution: Once the damage is done, there isn’t anything you can do to fix it, but the Azalea may recover on its own. Wait until the rest of the plant has leafed out and flowered, and at that point, prune off any dead branches.
Why Do Azalea Leaves Get Brown Spots?
Brown spots on Azalea leaves are usually a sign of fungal leaf spot diseases, leafminer insects, or damage from too much direct sun.
Fungal Leaf Spots
The Problem: Leaves covered in brown spots like irregular polka dots probably have a fungal infection. The spots are sometimes reddish or almost black and may have tiny black spots in the middle. Affected leaves may drop off.
What’s Causing the Problem: Several different fungal diseases cause brown spots on leaves, but you treat them all the same way. Usually, this type of fungal infection isn’t a severe problem for the plant; although small, young Azaleas sometimes suffer a harmful amount of leaf loss.
The Solution: Prune away the affected areas, preferably right after blooming is finished. If a lot of spotted leaves have dropped on the ground, rake them up. Trash or burn the spotted leaves so that the infection doesn’t spread.
This type of fungal infection spreads in water, so make sure to water your Azaleas at the ground level rather than getting the leaves wet.
If the leaf spot infection is serious, you can use an all-purpose fungicide, but usually, it isn’t necessary. Spray the fungicide on leaves that aren’t infected yet, especially new growth, because it works mainly as a preventive.
Leafminers
The Problem: A few brown spots here and there on different leaves and curled brown tips may indicate leafminers. They usually show up in spring and continue to spread through the summer. Some affected leaves turn yellow or completely brown and drop off.
What’s Causing the Problem: The Azalea leafminer (Caloptilia azaleella) is an insect that feeds on Azalea leaves. The caterpillar lives inside little pockets in the leaves called “mines,” which look like brown spots or blotches. The mines are usually next to the central vein of the leaf. Older caterpillars feed at the tips of leaves, which they curl around them with webbing.
In adult form, leafminers are yellow or tan moths with purple markings, a little under half an inch long. The caterpillars are of a similar size and color.
The Solution: Leafminers usually aren’t serious, but they can be unsightly. To get rid of leafminers, remove and destroy the affected leaves. If they’ve fallen on the ground, rake them up and get rid of them away from your plants.
Contact insecticides don’t work well with leafminers because they hide inside the leaves, but you can try systemic insecticides if you need to. Good options for controlling leafminers include chlorantraniliprole, spinosad, abamectin, and azadirachtin.
Sun Scald
The Problem: Brown, tan, or yellow splotches on Azalea leaves, especially on the side with the most sun exposure, can indicate that your Azalea is getting too hot. The spots will be on the tops of the leaves, not the bottoms, and not on lower or inner leaves shaded by the Azalea itself.
What’s Causing the Problem: Azaleas don’t tolerate full sun well. They like shade in the afternoon or sun that’s filtered through the leaves of trees overhead. Too much sun can dry out and damage leaves and flowers. Find out more about the right amount of sun and shade for Azaleas here.
The Solution: You can’t fix the leaves that are already damaged, but you can take steps to protect the Azalea from now on. The easiest choice is to transplant the Azalea to a more sheltered spot. Another option is to put in something to shade the affected Azalea, such as a tree or a large shrub.
Why Do Azalea Leaves Turn Yellow?
Azalea leaves can turn yellow or pale green for all sorts of reasons, some of which we’ve already covered since they can also turn leaves brown, white, or other colors. Sunscald, root damage, pest problems, and insufficient water can all cause yellowing of leaves. The leaves of some Azalea varieties naturally turn yellow in the fall.
Maybe the most common reason for Azalea leaves to turn yellow happens when the soil isn’t acidic enough for them. Nutrient deficiencies can also lead to yellow leaves.
Chlorosis
Yellow leaves with green veins are a sign of chlorosis, a condition in which leaves don’t have enough chlorophyll – the stuff that makes leaves green. Affected leaves can look pale green, yellow, or almost white, with the veins remaining dark green.
There are many causes of chlorosis, including nutrient deficiencies, diseases, compacted soil, and problems with roots. In Azaleas, the most common cause of chlorosis is that the soil they’re planted in isn’t acidic.
Soil Isn’t Acidic Enough
The Problem: In the wrong kind of soil, Azaleas will show signs of chlorosis – yellow leaves with green veins – and may not grow or bloom very well. Depending on how far off the soil is from what Azaleas need, they may live but just not be as healthy as they could be, or they may die.
What’s Causing the Problem: If the soil they’re planted in is too alkaline (not acidic enough), Azaleas can’t absorb iron from the soil very well, which is one of the minerals Azaleas need. Soil pH for Azaleas should be between 4.5 and 6. Learn about the perfect soil for Azaleas here.
How do you tell if your soil is acidic? An easy first step is to look at what people in your community are growing. If you see lots of Azaleas, there’s a good chance that your soil is acidic. Soil type can vary from lot to lot, though, and even in different parts of your yard. The only way to be sure is to have your soil tested. Luckily, soil testing is easy and inexpensive through most local extension services.
The Solution: If your neutral or alkaline soil is making your Azaleas turn yellow, you need to fix the soil pH or add organic matter to the soil. Azaleas can tolerate a higher soil pH in very organic soil. You can cover your soil with acidic mulch or compost, which will get incorporated into the soil over time, or you can use acidic compost as a soil amendment.
The quickest way to make the soil more acidic is to apply commercial soil amendments. I recommend garden sulfur or ferrous sulfate. Be aware, though, that some types of soil are just too inherently alkaline to be made acidic enough for Azaleas. If you have this type of soil, you’ll need to build a raised bed and fill it with acidic soil to grow healthy Azaleas, or grow them in containers.
As a temporary fix for yellowed leaves, you can spray affected Azaleas with chelated iron. It will green them up, but the effects won’t last because it won’t solve the root problem. For a lasting solution, you’ll need to either amend your soil or relocate the Azaleas.
Nutrient Deficiencies
The Problem: Azalea leaves can also turn yellow with green veins if they aren’t getting all the nutrients they need. Slow growth and brown leaf tips and edges can also be signs of a nutrient deficiency.
What’s Causing the Problem: Azaleas need to absorb nutrients from the soil, and if the soil isn’t fertile enough, it can cause chlorosis. Deficiencies of nitrogen, potassium, iron, calcium, and magnesium can all have this effect.
The Solution: Fertilizer is the usual fix for a nutrient deficiency. It’s a good idea to get your soil tested first to determine which minerals are lacking since too much fertilizer can do Azaleas more harm than good.
The most popular all-purpose fertilizer for Azaleas is Holly-Tone. Cottonseed meal is also great for supplying the primary nutrients that Azaleas need. If you’ve identified a specific nutrient deficiency, apply a fertilizer to supply the missing mineral:
- Potassium deficiency – potassium sulfate
- Magnesium deficiency – Epsom salts
- Calcium deficiency – gypsum
- Nitrogen deficiency – cottonseed meal, canola meal, composted manure (make sure it hasn’t been treated with lime), blood meal, or an all-purpose fertilizer designed for acid-loving plants
Mulch and compost are also great tools for increasing or maintaining soil fertility to make sure Azaleas get all the nutrients they need. You can use compost either as mulch on top of the soil or as a soil amendment that you mix in.
Once you’ve applied fertilizer, try to be patient. It takes time for the fertilizer to take effect and turn your Azaleas green again.
To learn more about Azalea fertilizers, check out this article. And to discover who compost can help feed your Azalea bushes, read this one.
How To Keep Azalea Leaves Green
The best way to deal with Azalea problems is to prevent them in the first place by keeping your Azaleas healthy. Luckily, that’s not hard to do as long as you start right. Choose a variety of Azalea that’s well adapted to the climate where you live, and plant it in a spot with Azalea-friendly soil and a good balance of sunshine and shade. Then, make sure it gets enough water, mulch once a year, and that’s usually all you need to do.
If something goes wrong and you find yellow, brown, white, or black leaves on your Azalea, the first step is to check for other symptoms to help you identify the problem. Then, in most cases, you’ll need to remove the affected parts of the Azalea and dispose of them somewhere they can’t contaminate your plants. What you do after that depends on the problem.
Once you’ve cleared up the issue, keep an eye on the Azalea for a while so that if the problem comes back, you can spot it early. It’s usually easiest to fix these things if you catch them right away. You can also choose Azalea varieties that are resistant to specific issues like pests and fungus. These tips should keep your Azaleas healthy and green.