Autumn Sunset Encore® Azalea
Rhododendron hybrid 'Roblen' Autumn Sunset (PP#16248)
Autumn Sunset Encore® Azalea
Rhododendron hybrid 'Roblen' Autumn Sunset (PP#16248)
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 Sunset Encore Azalea will bring its vibrantly-colored flowers to your garden from spring to fall. Its flowers profusely in spring, and then as soon as those first flowers fade, new shoots are produced with more flowers. This continues throughout summer and fall, turning azaleas from spring flowering plants into an ‘all season’ beauty. The flowers are 2 to 3 inches across, in a rich, vibrant red color like the best sunset red. The semi-double flowers are especially beautiful, since the extra petals make the flowers lush and full. It grows to 3 feet tall and 3½ feet across, so it is the perfect size for the smallest garden. Plant it in around your home to enjoy months of color, or use it to add constant color to your garden beds. It makes a beautiful plant in pots too, where you can move it around to enjoy its color everywhere you are.
- Evergreen azaleas that bloom through summer and fall
- Sunset red blooms from spring to fall
- Happy in more sun than regular azaleas
- Hardy in most areas and pest and disease resistant too
- Perfect in pots, as it is always in bloom
Grow your Autumn Sunset Encore Azalea in acidic soil in a sunny or partially-shaded location. It enjoys more sun that other azaleas, and only in the hottest areas is it necessary to give it some shade from the heat of the afternoon sun. The soil you grow it in should be acidic for ideal growth and development. If your soil is not acidic you can still grow these plants in your garden by using chelated iron in spring, or by growing them in pots, using soil for acid-loving plants. Keep your bushes watered well, especially in the early years, and never let them become completely dry. Remember to water in fall too, as dryness in winter can damage the foliage.
- Plant Hardiness Zones 6-9
- Mature Width 3.5
- Mature Height 3
- Sun Needs Full Sun, Partial Sun
Azaleas are great plants to grow in your garden. They have beautiful flowers, and form attractive, rounded bushes that hold those flowers up in the air where they can be appreciated best. Most azaleas flower just in spring, and look a bit dull and uninteresting for the rest of the year. Encore Azaleas don’t do that. They continue blooming throughout summer and fall, constantly sending up new shoots with new flowers, month after month. These beautiful plants come in a wide range of colors and sizes, and the Autumn Sunset Encore Azalea is one of the best. Its flowers are a stunning rich red, just like the deep reds seen in the sky during a spectacular sunset.
Growing Autumn Sunset Encore Azaleas
The compact bushes grow to 3 feet tall and a little more across, making a substantial but compact plant that fits into any size garden. In a small garden a single plant makes a wonderful specimen, in bloom for months. In a larger garden, several can be grouped together to create billowing clouds of color in your beds. Grouped with other Encore Azalea varieties like Autumn Royalty, it can give your garden vibrant color groupings that will bring it to life. The flowers are 2 – 3 inches across, and are semi-double, making for the richest possible color. A semi-double flower has additional petals inside the usual trumpet of petals, making the flower fuller, richer and more dramatic in form.
Planting Location
Plant the Autumn Sunset Encore Azalea in a sunny location, as these plants enjoy more sun than regular azaleas, which are more shade-loving. Only in hot regions like California is it necessary to provide some afternoon shade for the plants. This means they can be grown in many more parts of the garden than usual.
Hardiness
The Autumn Sunset Encore Azalea is hardy from zones 6 to 10. This means they can be successfully grown in cold areas all through zone 6, where winter temperatures reach down to minus 10 degrees. So, across almost all the country you can enjoy these remarkable plants. In cold areas, make sure you water your plants well in late fall, as dryness combined with cold in winter can burn the foliage. Use a bark or pine-needle mulch to protect the root-zone from cold, and to retain moisture not only in winter but in summer too.
Soil Conditions
Like all azaleas, your Encore Azaleas grow best in acidic soil with a pH of 6.5 or lower. If your neighbors are growing azaleas, you can too, and if you don’t have suitable soil, the Autumn Sunset Encore Azalea can be grown easily in a pot or planter box. Use a soil designed for acid-loving plants and water whenever the soil begins to dry a little on top. Use an azalea fertilizer regularly, as directed for the particular product you have. Plants in the garden should be kept well-watered, especially during the first season or two, while they become established.
History and Origins of the Autumn Sunset Encore Azalea
The very large group of plants called Rhododendron include both deciduous and evergreen plants. Gardeners call the evergreen varieties with smaller leaves azaleas. They originate in milder parts of China, Japan and the Himalayan mountains, and flower in the spring. There is one species, Rhododendron oldhamii, called the Taiwan Azalea, which uniquely blooms in summer and fall.
An experienced azalea breeder called Buddy Lee, who lives in Louisiana, crossed the Taiwan Azalea with other evergreen azaleas, beginning in the 1980s. By 1995, after years of testing and development, he released the first bushes, which he called Encore Azaleas, because they not only flower in spring, but they produce flowers during the summer and fall as well. New colors and forms are releases every year, and these plants are very popular in gardens. All forms are patented, so you can be sure that if it doesn’t say ‘Encore’, it isn’t the real thing. Cheaper plants will be a huge disappointment.
Buying Autumn Sunset Encore Azaleas
We know that the Autumn Sunset Encore Azalea is a knockout, and so do our customers. So although we have good stocks, these gorgeous and coveted plants will not stay in stock long. Order now to enjoy these fabulous plants in your own garden. We encourage you to browse other plants from this series that we carry, like the Autumn Fire Sunset Encore Azalea and Autumn Lilac Encore Azalea.
