Fall in LOVE with the ROMANTIC, RED blooms of the newest variety of Encore Azalea, Autumn Fire!

You won't find another azalea with the perfect, semi-double, 2.5 inch, true RED blooms for three seasons! The beautiful blooms covering this azalea giving a stunning contrast to its deep green foliage that you won't soon forget! You will enjoy year-round color with vibrant RED blooms in spring, summer, and fall and unique purple-bronze leaves in winter.

This dwarf variety will reach a height of about 2.5 feet tall and 3 feet wide at maturity. Autumn Fire Encore Azaleas thrive in full to partial sun and well-drained soil. For best flowering choose a location with 4-6 hours of full sun and apply a slow-release azalea fertilizer in early spring and again in mid-summer. Encore Azaleas are disease and pest-resistant evergreen shrubs that are low maintenance. There is no need to prune this easy-to-maintain dwarf variety.

You can't go wrong with the Autumn Fire® Encore™ Azalea! Treat yourself to a little romance today!

Product Attachments:

• Encore Azalea Versatility Sheet
• Autumn Fire Fact Sheet

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

Planting

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 soil that drains well and is acidic. 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.

Fertilizing

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

Maintenance

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 Fire Encore Azalea adds vibrant color to the southern landscape and beyond. Azaleas are excellent for borders and mass plantings. This evergreen shrub jazzes up gardens and mixed beds. At 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 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 3 feet apart on center. Otherwise, plant about 5 feet apart to give your plants space in-between.

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