Autumn Fire® Encore® Azalea Shrub

A Fiery 2015 Addition to Azaleas!

Get ready for the newest azalea on the block. Brighter Blooms Nursery is proud to present the Autumn Fire® , which was just released in 2015!

This true red dwarf Azalea is a must-have addition to your spring garden plans…

• Low maintenance
• Blooms in multiple seasons
• Cold-hardy
• Tougher than traditional azaleas

World-renowned azalea breeder, Robert Lee, has done it again! His newest creation, the Autumn Fire® Azalea promises to be the best bloomer yet. Lee began the Encore® Azaleas project in the 1980s, with an emphasis on creating fall-blooming traits as well as being a winter hardy evergreen. Unlike the two-week spring blooms of traditional azaleas, Lee created 28 breeds that bloom over and over again.

The Autumn Fire® is number 29, and it promises to be the biggest showstopper of the bunch. Cherry red 3-inch blooms sit majestically amidst green foliage. Best of all, the Autumn Fire™ will dazzle not only in the spring but well into autumn. Be the first grower on the block to own this unique and showy azalea!

Easier Than Traditional Azaleas

The Autumn Fire® is gorgeous in looks but simple in day to day maintenance. Unlike most azaleas, this plant can handle up to 4-6 hours of direct sun with some afternoon shade. It also can handle the cold with vigor, withstanding growing zones down to 6.

Like other azaleas, the Autumn Fire® prefers an acidic organic composted soil with an optimal ph between 5.0 and 5.5. Water regularly, especially as the heat of summer sets in. Feed with a well-balanced acidic fertilizer, so you can enjoy the blooms season after season. Pruning is minimal, with a simple cutting to maintain size right after the first bloom.

A Centerpiece in Any Design

Wherever you decide to put your brand new Autumn Fire®, rest assured it will heighten the look of any landscape. Its compact size (3 feet max) allows this azalea to sit pretty in perennial beds, natural paths, and even in a container on the patio. No wonder the Encore® Azaleas are the best selling azaleas in the world!

Get your Autumn Fire™ today… it will reward your landscape with fiery red blooms for years to come.

Planting Directions

Before you do anything else, refrain from planting your new Encore Azaleas in the shade. Unlike the traditional azalea shrubs, this flowering evergreen does best in full sun, even in Arkansas where they originated.

Autumn Angel Encore Azalea are hybrids and they will waste away if you plant them in places you would plant other azalea bushes.

You will want to ensure your planting location has good drainage. Azaleas and rhododendrons naturally grow in rocky areas where there is little moisture retention. While they do need some irrigation and will adapt to your soil with regular watering, the quick removal of water from their root zone is important. In heavy clay, always plant your Autumn Embers Encore Azaleas high in raised beds. Give them well-loosened soil twice the size of their roots even in perfect soil.

Be sure to use acid fertilizers like Holly-Tone or MiracleGro for Azaleas. These are both slow-release plant food. Follow the label directions for the best results.

You’ll need to do some clipping to keep Autumn Debutant Encore Azaleas shaped. Don’t do any harsh shearing. You will lose your blooms for a while. If you selected the mature size wisely for where you want to grow your new Encore Azalea Shrubs, there is no need for hard pruning. They keep sending out blooms all season and into the onset of winter. The last thing you want to do is cut off your color.

Maintain regular watering the first year for your new ever-blooming azaleas. Once azaleas have developed good strong roots into your soil they will be ready to dance through dry spells and exhibit their excellent drought tolerance. Following these handy tips will provide you with more beauty and best performance from your new Autumn Debutante Encore Azaleas.