Evergreen Shrubs (Flowering) – Encore Azaleas

Botanical name: Rhododendron

Beginner friendly?: yes

Average size at maturity: 3-4 ft in height and 3ft spread

Bloom time: Spring to fall, blooms 3 times (once in the spring, mid summer, fall before the first frost)

Hardy zone: Zones 6-9

Flower color: Autumn Starburst, Autumn Embers, Autumn fire, Autumn Monarch, Autumn lilac, Autumn lily, Autumn empress, autumn majesty

Foliage color: Green

Growth rate: About a foot per year

Pruning instructions: Light pruning in the spring when new growth begins to emerge is a great way to promote as many buds as possible

Propagation methods: cut a stem just below a node and place in water until roots start to emerge

Landscape use: Uses: Borders, Specimen or Focal Point, Wildlife Gardens

Light needs: Partial shade, 4 – 6 hours of sun a day. Sunlight is essential for reblooming.

Special features: Dwarf, Fall Blooming, Flowering, Rebloomer, Attracts Butterflies

Watering instructions: Soak the soil 2 inches deep twice a week. Drought tolerant once established

Fertilizing instructions : Use an azalea, camellia, and rhododendron food right after the first bloom cycle in the spring

Best time to plant: spring or early fall

Best type of soil: sandy or loamy

Companion plants: hollies, abelias, cleyera

Toxicity level: mildly toxic for humans and severely toxic to pets if ingested

Invasive species: no