"Victoria Clare" wrote in message
.209...
Last Christmas I bought a double white flowering azalea from (I think)
Waitrose. It was labelled simply 'Azalea'. It flowered enthusiastically
throughout the festive season on the dining table, and in the spring I
potted it on.

It's now starting to come back into bud.

But is it hardy? The RHS encyclopaedia suggests that azaleas sold as
potplants may be tender - how can I tell?

I think you should take that as tender Victoria, though I wouldn't be
surprised if some favoured gardens in the SW could grow them outside. The
hardy 'Japanese Azaleas' usually have larger leaves - often longer rather
than round and flowers tend to be simpler. It's highly unlikely that your
supermarket plant would be anything other than the 'Indica' type. If you'd
got it from a garden centre there would be more doubt. The indoor plants
often are several to a pot. Yes get it in before frost.

Rod