Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea

Light Needs

Part Shade to Full Sun

(4+ Hours Direct Sun)

Mature Height

4.5 Feet

Mature Spread

4 Feet

Growing Zones

6 to 10

Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea has the scale and flower power to carry a planting with rich purple bloom color. Its large, single flowers can reach 3.5 inches across, covering the shrub in spring and returning again in later seasonal flushes. Rhododendron 'Conlec' PP10580 grows into a robust evergreen shrub about 4.5 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 4.5 feet wide. The size is perfect for larger foundation beds where a smaller azalea would get visually lost.

This award-winning Encore selection was named Azalea of the Year by the American Rhododendron Society in 2004. Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea is one of the larger purple reblooming varieties, with a bushy, upright-mounding habit and dark green foliage that stays attractive through winter. It is hardy in Zones 6a-10b and can rebloom for an extended period in warm climates. Use it as a specimen, natural hedge, grouped planting, background shrub for lower perennials, or a large patio container plant where its flower size can be appreciated.

Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea Care

Give Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea light shade to full sun, with at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sun for best flowering. It grows well in morning sun, all-day filtered sun, or mostly sun with afternoon relief in hot areas. Plant in acidic, humus-rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.0 to 6.5 preferably.

Build the planting bed wide and shallow, since azalea roots spread near the soil surface and need air as much as moisture. During the first year, water slowly around the outer edge of the root ball so new roots move into the surrounding soil. Established plants need watering during extended dry weather, and a 2-inch layer of pine bark or pine straw helps keep the root zone cooler. Feed after the spring bloom with an acid-loving, slow-release fertilizer, then avoid feeding after August.

Prune Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea immediately after the main spring flower cycle if the shrub needs shaping. Cut long shoots back inside the leafy canopy and remove any dead or damaged wood as soon as it is visible. In colder Zone 6 gardens, mulch before winter and place container-grown plants where wind exposure is limited.

Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea Spacing

Plant Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea 4 feet apart for a dense hedge or grouped screen. Allow 6 to 8 feet between shrubs when using it as a specimen or as part of a layered foundation design. For containers, use a large pot at least 20 inches wide with drainage holes and an acidic potting. Provide regular deep watering during warm weather.

Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea pairs nicely with summersweet, witch hazel, and elderberry bushes in acidic, well-drained beds where the taller shrubs can build a layered backdrop around its purple flowers. Larkspur and foxglove add upright bloom nearby in bright open shade, giving the planting height variation during the flowering season. In large containers, star flower, fuchsia, and dead nettle can fill the lower layer while Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea provides the evergreen structure.

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