Autumn Chiffon Encore Azalea

Light Needs

Part Shade to Full Sun

(3+ Hours Direct Sun)

Mature Height

2.5 Feet

Mature Spread

3 Feet

Growing Zones

7 to 9

Autumn Chiffon Encore Azalea is a compact, evergreen shrub with soft pink, bi-color blooms. The single blooms open light pink with a deeper pink freckled blotch at the center, each flower measuring about 2.75 inches across. Rhododendron 'Robled' PP15862 stays compact at about 2.5 feet tall and 3 feet wide, with glossy green evergreen foliage beneath its spring, summer, and fall bloom cycles. Our landscape designer likes it for front-of-house plantings because of the refined flower color and extended seasonal interest.

This reblooming Encore azalea was bred to flower beyond the traditional spring azalea season, producing its heaviest show in spring with later flushes in warm weather. New foliage emerges light green, then matures to a darker glossy green that gives the plant a polished look through winter. Autumn Chiffon Encore Azalea grows slowly and maintains an upright, spreading form that suits low hedges, mass plantings, mixed borders, and containers. It is hardy in Zones 7-10 and attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators during its extended bloom season.

Autumn Chiffon Encore Azalea Care

Plant Autumn Chiffon Encore Azalea in light shade to full sun, with 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight for the strongest rebloom. Morning sun with afternoon shade is preferred in hot climates. Plant in rich, organic, well-drained acidic soil, ideally with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5.

Water deeply after planting and keep the soil evenly moist through the first growing season. After establishment, this azalea needs less frequent watering, but summer heat can call for extra moisture when the top few inches of soil dry. Fertilize after the spring bloom with a slow-release azalea, camellia, or acid-loving plant fertilizer, and make any second feeding before August. Mulch with pine bark or pine straw to protect the shallow root system and help the soil hold moisture between waterings.

Prune Autumn Chiffon Encore Azalea immediately after the spring bloom cycle when shaping is useful. Shorten stray shoots back inside the shrub and remove damaged branches as soon as you see them. Container plants benefit from a sheltered winter position near the colder edge of the growing range, especially during hard freezes.

Autumn Chiffon Encore Azalea Spacing

Space Autumn Chiffon Encore Azalea 3 feet apart for a low hedge or mass planting, and 4 feet apart for individual shrubs in mixed beds. For containers, choose a pot at least 16 inches wide with drainage holes and an acidic potting mix made for azaleas and rhododendrons. Check container moisture often in warm weather because potted azaleas dry faster than in-ground shrubs.

For companion planting, pair Autumn Chiffon Encore Azalea with holly bushes, mountain laurel, leucothoe, and hydrangeas in acidic, well-drained beds with morning sun and afternoon protection. Coral bells and astilbe can fill the front of the planting in bright filtered light while adding foliage texture near the azalea’s glossy leaves. In containers, use begonias, coleus, or wishbone flowers for seasonal color that suits steady moisture and protected sun.

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