- 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
