Autumn Fire Encore® Azalea
Rhododendron hybrid 'Roblez' Autumn Fire (PP pending)
Autumn Fire Encore® Azalea
Rhododendron hybrid 'Roblez' Autumn Fire (PP pending)
How are the heights measured?
All tree, and nothin' but the tree! We measure from the top of the soil to the top of the tree; the height of the container or the root system is never included in our measurements.
What is a gallon container?
Nursery containers come in a variety of different sizes, and old-school nursery slang has stuck. While the industry-standard terminology is to call the sizes "Gallon Containers", that doesn't exactly translate to the traditional liquid "gallon" size we think of. You'll find we carry young 1-gallons, up to more mature 7-gallons ranging anywhere from 6 inches to 6ft.
How does the delivery process work?
All of our orders ship via FedEx Ground! Once your order is placed online, our magic elves get right to work picking, staging, boxing and shipping your trees. Orders typically ship out within 2 business days. You will receive email notifications along the way on the progress of your order, as well as tracking information to track your plants all the way to their new home!
Why are some states excluded from shipping?
The short & sweet answer is: "United States Department of Agriculture Restrictions." Every state has their own unique USDA restrictions on which plants they allow to come into their state. While we wish we could serve everyone, it's for the safety of native species and helps prevent the spread of invasive disease & pests. We've gotta protect good ole' Mother Nature, after all.
About Me
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The Autumn Fire Encore Azalea is in bloom for 9 months of the year, making it a stunning addition to the range of azaleas available for gardens. Other azaleas flower just in spring, but the Encore Azaleas continue to flower through the summer and then put on a huge encore of bloom in fall. With its continuous blooming this is the ideal plant to bring color to every part of your garden. The vibrant deep red flowers look terrific anywhere, and these low shrubs are ideal choices even for the smallest garden. They grow between 2 and 3 feet in height and up to 3 feet across and will thrive everywhere from zone 6 all the way into zone 9. Grow them in drifts among other shrubs and other azaleas, plant them in containers or planter boxes, and grow them in pots on your terrace. Wherever you grow this terrific plant you will love it.
- Special repeat-flowering evergreen azalea
- Bright red blooms in spring, summer and fall
- Thrives in sun or shade
- Easily grown and small enough for any garden
- Grow in a pot if your garden soil is not suitable
Grow your Autumn Fire Encore Azalea in well-drained soil that does not dry completely. These plants are best grown in acid soils, which are normal across much of the eastern states. If you do not have acid soil, there are treatments you can use just once a year, or you can grow them in containers. This plant does well either in full sun or in partial shade and is grows well in hotter regions where other azaleas do not do thrive. This plant is an ideal choice for foundation planting around your home, planted in groups among shrubs or flowers, in a woodland garden or in pots on your terrace. You can even bring them inside for a few days at a time to enjoy their bloom right in your home.
- Plant Hardiness Zones 6-9
- Mature Width 3
- Mature Height 2-3
- Sun Needs Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade
The Autumn Fire Encore Azalea solved the big problem with azalea growing – the plants are beautiful for a couple of weeks in spring, but for the rest of the year they are frankly a rather boring green bush. Not the Encore Azaleas, which have been specially bred to have the unique ability to flower not just in spring, but also all through the summer and then puts on a spectacular ‘encore’ flowering in fall.
Encore Azaleas grow easily in all but the coldest and hottest parts of the country and grows best in acidic soil conditions. If you do not have the ideal acidic soil, you can easily grow this plant in a planter or container, using potting soil designed for acid-loving plants. This means that there is absolutely no reason not to grow these princesses of the garden – and enjoy flowers over months, not weeks.
Growing Autumn Fire Encore Azaleas
The Autumn Fire Encore Azalea has blooms of a fiery red that can be seen right across the garden, making a bold statement. It has blooms for 9 months of the year, with peaks in spring and, remarkably, again in the fall. It is a fast-growing azalea, so it soon reaches its full size of 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 feet across. This broad, low form makes it ideal for growing in front of taller shrubs, and for planting in groups to fill beds with almost constant flower color. The flowers grow in clusters, and look like bright red trumpets nearly 3 inches across.
Soil Conditions
If these are the first azaleas you have grown, you should check the pH of your soil. This is easily done with an inexpensive kit from your garden center or hardware store, and the ideal reading is a pH below 6.5. If you have this, you can easily grow these wonderful plants and enjoy almost constant blooming. Although azaleas like plenty of water they do not like ‘wet feet’, so plant in a well-drained location. Add plenty of peat-moss to your soil to keep it acidic.
If you do not have acidic soil, the best solution is to feed your plant once or twice a year, in spring and perhaps again in summer, with chelated iron, which you can buy from local garden centers everywhere. This will keep your plant healthy and blooming well in any type of soil. Alternatively, grow your Autumn Fire Encore Azalea in a container, using special planting soil for acid-loving plants. That way you can move your plant around the garden to see it at its best, or place it on a terrace or patio for vibrant color for months on end.
Sun Exposure and Watering
All the Encore Azaleas like sunshine and grow well in full sun. Morning sun and afternoon shade are ideal if you are gardening in warmer parts of the country. During the first season water your Autumn Fire Encore Azalea once a week, or more frequently during hot weather. Do not let it become dry and make sure you get water into the root-ball each time you water. Once established this plant can tolerate a little dryness, but it is best to not let the soil dry completely.
Growing in Pots and Containers
To grow this beautiful plant in a container, choose a pot that has drainage holes and use a potting soil for acid-loving plants. Feed your plant once a month, except for winter, with a liquid fertilizer for acid-loving plants. This can also be used for plants growing in the garden. Place your pot in a place with morning sun but some afternoon shade during the hottest months.
History and Origins of the Autumn Fire Encore Azalea
Azaleas are evergreen plants belonging to a very large group of plants called Rhododendrons. They mostly come from milder parts of China, Japan and the Himalayan mountains, and plant breeders have produced thousands of varieties over the years. Almost all these plants flower in the spring and make a beautiful display at that time, but for the rest of the year they are just green.
There is one single species, however, called the Taiwan Azalea (Rhododendron oldhamii), which is unique and blooms in summer and fall. Buddy Lee was an experienced plant breeder who started in the 1980’s crossing the Taiwan Azalea with other evergreen azaleas. He was rewarded with success and produced a range of azaleas called Encore Azaleas, because they not only flower in spring with the other azaleas, but they produce some flowers during the summer too and then come back for a stunning encore with a whole new flush of blooms in fall. These plants were so popular that he has continues to add new colors and forms every year.
Buying Autumn Fire Encore Azaleas at The Tree Center
The Autumn Fire Encore Azalea is a very special plant and it must be produced the correct way. Our plants are specially grown from stem pieces selected from original plants of the exact variety. Beware of cheaper seedling plants or azaleas that are not labeled ‘Encore’ – they will not be this special and unique variety. We receive our Autumn Fire Encore Azalea plants via the original breeders and we regularly receive new stock so that our customers only get the very best plants.
This unique and very special plant is always in high demand and our stock does not last long, so order now to have azaleas in bloom in your garden for months and months of every year. We invite you to browse other plants we carry from the Encore series, including the Autumn Sunset Encore Azalea and the Autumn Embers Encore Azalea.
