No, not neccsarily. They need at least 4 hours of sun, perferrably morning sun, They will do okay in shady, woodland areas but will not have as many blooms.

Azaleas are best pruned in late winter. Azaleas can handle heavy pruning to as low as 12 inches from the ground. Just don't expect blooms for a few years if you do that. Azaleas rarely need pruning unless it is to remove some dead wood or removing excess growth that may be hanging over a walkway.

There are a lot of choices for homeowners today. There are dwarf varieties that get no more then 3 feet tall while others can grow up to 20 feet tall.

Plant them in late spring or early fall to get the best results the folloiwng year. They key is planting them to allow the most root growth. Dig the planting hole twice as wide and use some lose potting soil to start filling in. This provides your azalea roots plenty of easy room to expand. Azaleas also thrive in acidic soil. There's plenty of acidic soils & fertilizers made just for azaleas available at most garden centers.