Encore Azaleas®

Encore Azaleas rebloom, flowering in spring, summer, and fall instead of just once in spring. They were developed through traditional crossbreeding to combine the spring-blooming genetics of traditional azaleas with the repeat-blooming ability of Taiwan native azaleas.

Encore Azaleas tolerate more sun than traditional azaleas and actually need 4-6 hours of direct sunlight to rebloom well. Morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal, especially in hotter climates. Too much shade reduces repeat flowering.

The heaviest bloom occurs in spring, followed by moderate summer flowering and another strong flush in fall. In zones 8-10, you may see scattered blooms nearly year-round. Cooler zones typically see distinct spring and fall bloom periods.

Most Encore varieties are hardy in zones 6-10, though some handle zone 7 better than others. They're evergreen in most of their range but may show some leaf drop in zone 6 winters. Mulch the root zone in colder areas for added protection.

Sizes vary by variety, ranging from compact 2-3 foot dwarf types to larger 4-5 foot shrubs. Check the mature size of your specific variety before planting to ensure proper spacing. Most reach full size in 5-7 years.