- USDA Hardiness Zones 6-10
- Height 3 Feet
- Spread 3.5 Feet
Do the pollinators a favor and plant Encore® azaleas in your garden since they offer repeat blooms that provide essential nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Autumn Lilac offers a flush of bright purple two-inch single flowers that are especially welcome to winter-weary bees. Blooms continue to appear throughout the growing season, with a final strong hurrah in fall. You’ll appreciate the evergreen foliage that provides a splash of green during drab winter months too. Unlike some azaleas that can become massive over time, this relatively diminutive one can be tucked in just about anywhere—under windows, alongside entryways, snugged up beside taller shrubs or nestled amid perennials like coral bells (Heuchera), hostas and ferns. You can also plant it in a pot, where it creates a commanding focal point with its bright purple flowers.
Along with their cold hardiness, Encore® azaleas also tolerate sunny conditions better than some azaleas, so you don’t have to over-think their placement. Feel free to combine them with other jewel-toned sun-lovers that pollinators love like roses, weigela, false indigo (Baptisia) and coneflowers for a colorful display. In shadier spots, they complement hydrangeas and stand out well against other evergreens like boxwood and camellias.
Autumn Lilac Encore Azalea Care
Locate your azalea in part shade to full sun in average garden soil that drains well. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Backfill with the soil you removed, water well and mulch around the base of the plant to conserve moisture and reduce weeds. You should water regularly thereafter during the first year as the plant is getting established. Fertilize in spring with a granular fertilizer that is formulated for acid-loving plants. Azaleas are best left untrimmed, so their natural shape is retained, but if you do need to do any trimming, wait until just after the spring blooming is over.
Autumn Lilac Encore Azalea Spacing
This is a relatively small azalea, just 3 feet tall and 3.5 feet wide, so the main concern when situating it with other plants is that it doesn’t get covered in time. Be sure there is at least 2 feet all around if you are planting it with other shrubs or vigorous perennials like false indigo or phlox that can spread. If you are clustering several of these azaleas together, you can space them a little tighter, about 1.5 feet center-on-center. If you are planting near a foundation, pull the plants out from under any overhangs so they receive enough rainwater. For container plantings, choose a frost-proof pot that has an opening at least 16 inches wide and holds a minimum of 2-3 gallons of potting soil.
Autumn Lilac Encore Azalea Plant Facts
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-10 |
Flower Color(s): Lavender with Dark Purple Flecks |
Bloom Period: Spring to Fall |
Foliage Color(s): Shiny Green to Glossy Dark Green |
Light Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun |
Height: 3 Feet |
Spread: 3.5 Feet |
Habit: Rounded Compact |
Watering: Medium |
Features: Dwarf, Fall Blooming, Rebloomer, Loves Sun, Attracts Butterflies |
Scientific Name: Rhododendron 'Robles' PP22762 |
Common Name: Autumn Lilac Encore Azalea |
Brand: Encore Azalea |
- SKU:
- AZENLI
Container Sizes
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on; type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
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Special Order Colors: 8 weeks - this is due to the planter being custom made with the color(s) of your choice
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Summer Shipping
- If there is extreme heat we’ll delay shipping.
- We’ll have to review what areas the plants are traveling through along with your location
Once your plant is shipped you’ll receive an email with tracking information. Depending on the above criteria we’ll ship your plant(s) towards beginning of the following week from your order. We put together this helpful guide of what to do when you receive your plants in the mail.
It is important to know that all of our plants are clearly labeled for which growing zones the plant can survive in. The plants are thoroughly trialed and tested in every growing zone before we state the plant can grow in a zone. Again, our #1 priority is to ship the plants to you healthy and ready to thrive in your location. So we will do everything in our power to do so.