PLANT FINDER

Group/Class:  Encore Azalea

Description:

This captivating, compact evergreen shrub is bathed in clusters of beautiful violet purple blooms that will emerge all season; an excellent choice to mass in groupings as a focal point of the garden; must have rich acidic soil

Ornamental Features

Autumn Royalty Azalea is bathed in stunning clusters of lightly-scented purple trumpet-shaped flowers with a hot pink flare at the ends of the branches from late spring to early fall. It has dark green evergreen foliage. The glossy narrow leaves remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Autumn Royalty Azalea is an open multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Autumn Royalty Azalea is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Autumn Royalty Azalea will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.