Autumn Carnival Encore Azalea

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

3 Feet

Mature Spread

3.5 Feet

Growing Zones

6 to 10

Love color? Get ready for some fun! Autumn Carnival azalea promises a merry-go-round of all-season fluorescent pink color. This little re-blooming wonder has 2.5-inch semi-double blooms that will delight you with their punch of color spring through fall, plus deep rich evergreen foliage that always looks ready for the party.

Autumn Carnival’s dwarf size makes it especially useful as a foundation plant under windows and beside entryways, but its hot color is a standout in the mixed border too. You can even play up its diva tendencies and plant it in containers—great flanking a walkway, entryway or serving as a focal point in a planting bed. Create a color-fest by planting it with cheerful coneflowers (Echinacea), nonstop-blooming Peruvian lily (Alstromeria) and sizzling salvias. It’s also terrific when planted amid a kaleidoscope of other shrubs in the Encore® Azalea line.

Autumn Carnival Encore Azalea Care

Encore azaleas are bred to require minimal care. They do require attention as they become established, primarily in the form of watering the first year. They can take full sun, but appreciate shade during the hottest parts of the day. They thrive in average, well-draining garden soil. As for any planting, an annual light mulch around your azalea helps cool the soil, retain moisture and keep weeds at bay. While you are mulching in spring, you can apply a slow-release granular fertilizer if you wish to boost blooming. Put away the shears—Encore azaleas need no pruning other than to remove the occasional dead branch.

Autumn Carnival Encore Azalea Spacing

Even though it’s big on color, Autumn Carnival stays small, just 3 feet tall and 3.5 feet wide when mature, so you only have to give it an 18-inch berth on all sides when planting. If you’re planting more than one, snug them up a little more, just one foot center-on-center. For container planting, choose a pot that has at least a 16-inch opening and holds a minimum of two gallons of soil. It’s a good idea to place any shrub you want to grow in a container in a pot that withstands winter temperatures and is heavy so it won’t tip over.