Autumn Moonlight Encore Azalea

Light Needs

Part Shade to Full Sun

(4+ Hours Direct Sun)

Mature Height

5 Feet

Mature Spread

4 Feet

Growing Zones

7 to 9

Autumn Moonlight® Encore Azalea opens ruffled, pure white flowers with yellow-dusted throats in spring, then flowers again through summer and fall. Rhododendron hybrid ‘Mootum’ carries semi-double blooms about 2½ inches across on a robust, upright shrub. This shrub matures near 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, giving it enough height for the middle or back of a planting. We like how clearly the white flowers stand out during early morning and evening hours.

Part of the Encore® series, this azalea combines the traditional spring display with additional bloom cycles during warm weather. Its upright branching and dense, light-green foliage maintain a substantial evergreen presence through winter. Use it behind shorter shrubs, repeat it along a long foundation, or plant several as a flowering evergreen screen around a patio. The narrow vertical form also suits woodland edges and mixed borders where height is needed within a limited planting depth.

Autumn Moonlight® Encore Azalea Care

Plant Autumn Moonlight® Encore Azalea in full sun to partial shade, providing 4 to 6 hours of direct light for reliable rebloom. Morning sun followed by afternoon shade is particularly suitable in hot southern gardens or near reflective pavement. Choose organic-rich, moist, well-drained soil with an acidic pH between 5.0 and 6.5.

Keep the root ball evenly moist during the first growing season, watering deeply when the upper inch of soil begins to dry. Established plants handle brief dry periods, though regular moisture during summer heat supports the next round of buds. Feed after the spring bloom or in early summer with a slow-release fertilizer formulated for azaleas and rhododendrons, and stop fertilizing after August. Apply 2 to 3 inches of pine bark or pine straw over the root zone, leaving open space around the stems.

Prune immediately after the main spring flowering period when shaping or reducing height is necessary. Remove no more than one-third of the shrub at a time, cutting long stems back to leafy side branches rather than shearing the entire exterior. Spent flowers may remain in place because repeat blooming does not depend on deadheading. Near the cold edge of its range, maintain winter mulch and protect container roots during extended freezes.

Autumn Moonlight® Encore Azalea Spacing

Space plants 3 to 3½ feet apart on center for a connected hedge or background planting, and about 5 feet apart when each shrub should retain a separate outline. Use a container at least 20 to 24 inches wide for a young plant, filled with an acidic potting mix that drains freely, and check moisture frequently during hot weather.

Autumn Moonlight® Encore Azalea Companion Plants

Camellias and ferns make suitable landscape companions because they share a preference for acidic soil, organic matter, and protection from harsh afternoon sun. In large containers, impatiens and lobelia can fill the lower planting layer while accepting the same filtered light and consistent watering.

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