Not Just For Springtime Anymore
Introducing Encore & Bloom-a-thon Azaleas!
These beauties bloom heavily in the spring like traditional azaleas and then re-bloom in summer and fall, bringing endless color! We’re talking about vibrant flowers three seasons a year!
Encore & Bloom-a-thon Azaleas are the most sun tolerant of all azaleas and will perform well in many locations—full sun, part sun, and part shade. The ideal planting environment provides 4-6 hours of direct or filtered sunlight, with some shade during the afternoon heat.
There is a variety of different sizes available. Dwarf varieties have compact growth with a mature height of 2½-3 feet which means little pruning is required to maintain this easy-care shrub. Intermediate varieties have a mature height of 4-5 feet but maintain a neat and manageable shape.
Here are some of our favorite varieties to try in your garden
Azalea Encore® Autumn Fire®
A truly remarkable dwarf-sized Azalea will grow to 2.5’ high by 3’ wide. Autumn Fire is cloaked in velvety 2½-inch, semi-double, true red blooms in spring, summer, and fall. This lovely plant also boasts glossy evergreen foliage that intensifies into an attractive purple-bronze hue during winter for year-round beauty.
Azalea Encore® Autumn Lily®
It’s one of the most cold hardy of the Encore® Azalea varieties, yet is cloaked in velvety 3-inch white blooms accented softly with light lavender stripes in spring, summer, and fall. Its foliage is evergreen, turning a purple-bronze hue during the winter months. An intermediate Autumn Lily will grow to 4½’ high by 4’ wide.
Azalea Encore® Autumn Royalty
A robust upright variety with deep green foliage and large, rich purple blooms, turning a reddish hue in winter. Autumn Royalty was voted Azalea of the Year by the American Rhododendron Society (2004). An intermediate Autumn Royalty will grow to 4½’ high by 4’ wide.
Azalea Encore® Autumn Sunset®
The blooms of this Encore® variety pay homage to the vivid orange-reds of spectacular sunsets. Evergreen foliage turns an attractive purple-bronze hue during winter. A dwarf variety, Autumn Sunset will grow to 3½’ x 4’ wide.
Azalea Encore® Autumn Twist®
Amidst the unique white and purple striped blooms, an occasional, completely purple bloom will appear. Combined with its lustrous dark green foliage, Autumn Twist’s unique color pattern makes this variety a festive and fast-growing addition to any garden. An intermediate Autumn Twist will grow to 4½’ high by 4’ wide.
Azalea Bloom-a-thon White
Large white flowers appear in April, then rebloom in early July, continuing through fall until hard frost. Even high summer temperatures don’t stop this workhorse of a shrub from producing loads of late summer and fall flowers. The semi-evergreen foliage is disease resistant and maintains excellent color year-round. This is smaller variety of azalea and will grow to about 30-36” high and wide.
Azalea Bloom-a-thon Lavender
Large purple flowers cover the plant in the spring, only to rebloom during the summer months through the fall. The semi-evergreen foliage means it still has a presence through the winter months. This is an intermediate height variety and will grow to 3½-4½’ tall by 3-4’ wide.
Azalea Bloom-a-thon Pink
This enchantress of an azalea will charm your garden with months of colorful flowers!
Why settle for just a week or two of flowers when you can enjoy up to five months of beautiful pink blooms? This is an intermediate height variety and will grow to 3½-4½’ tall by 3-4’ wide.
Other varieties of Reblooming Azaleas we will be offering throughout the season include:
• Encore Autumn Bonfire: Red Flowers/Dwarf
• Encore Autumn Bravo: Blazing Red Flowers/Intermediate
• Encore Autumn Carnation: Pink Semi-Double Flowers/ Intermediate
• Encore Autumn Empress: Med Pink Flowers/Intermediate
• Encore Autumn Lilac: Lavender Blooms/Dwarf
• Encore Autumn Sangria: Bright Pink Flowers/Intermediate
• Encore Autumn Starburst: Coral Pink & White Flowers/Dwarf
• Encore Autumn Sundance: Fuchsia Pink flowers/Dwarf
PLEASE NOTE: Availability will vary, and all varieties mentioned may not be available for immediate purchase in the nursery.
Look around at the azaleas making fuchsia star bursts in spring; look at a full moon hanging silver in a black sky on a cold night. And realize that life is glorious, and that you have no business taking it for granted.
Photos Courtesy of Encore Azalea, Prides Corner Farms & Proven Winners
