Meet the new Autumn Carnation® Encore® azalea. Lush pink semi-double blooms for 3 seasons make this prolific azalea absolutely stunning!

The beautiful 2.5 inch pink blooms covering this azalea offer a stunning contrast to its deep green foliage. You will enjoy evergreen foliage year-round and beautiful pink blooms in spring, summer, and fall. The leaves take on a purplish hue as the weather cools offering unique interest.

Key Features

• Prolific blooms for months! The Encore Autumn Carnation® offers pretty pink blooms for 3 seasons!
• A tough and easy to grow flowering shrub. Encore® azaleas are pest and disease resistant and low maintenance. The Carnation grows in zone 6 to zone 10 so it tolerates cooler and hotter temperatures than many other azaleas.
• Grows in sun! Contrary to most azaleas that prefer shade the Carnation azalea grows well in sun so you won't have to hide these beauties from the world!

Pro Tip: The best companion plants for azaleas are other acid lovers like hydrangeas, camellias, laurels, viburnums, hostas, and traditional evergreens like hollies, arborvitae, pines, and junipers.

When planting your azalea be sure you have the right location and conditions for your new plants to thrive.

Planting time: Spring and fall are ideal times to plant azaleas. However, if you avoid freezing and extremely hot temperatures you can plant any time of the year

Sun: Full sun to part shade. Encore azaleas will perform best with at least 4-6 hours of sun. While your Encore azalea will still grow and even bloom in shady areas they are less likely to rebloom and the blooms won't be as prolific.

Soil: Azaleas prefer acidic soil that drains well. If you have alkaline soil, be sure to amend it. To acidify your soil amend with compost, elemental sulfur, or use fertilizers specific for acid loving plants. Mulching with pine straw or pine bark will help over time as they begin to break down, but are not an immediate solution. To improve drainage in something like a heavy clay soil, add compost and be sure to loosen up the soil well before planting.

Fertilizer: Choose a balanced slow release fertilizer. Fertilize in late winter or early spring before flowering for best results.

Pruning: You don’t need to prune Encore azaleas, but pruning after they are done blooming can help encourage a bushier growth and renew an older plant. You can use pruning to control size, but don't prune of more than 1/3 of the plant for best results.

The Autumn Carnation Encore azalea adds color while softening your landscape. Azaleas are excellent for borders and mass plantings. This evergreen shrub is pretty in gardens and mixed beds. At 4 feet tall and 4.5 feet wide at maturity this stunning azalea can even be used in foundation plantings. Try this flowering shrub in a container to add a bold pop of color to your entryway, porch, patio, or deck. For borders or low hedges plant about 4 feet apart on center. Otherwise, plant about 5.5 feet apart to give your plants space in-between.

For additional options, be sure to browse our Azalea and Evergreen Shrub collection.