Autumn Bonfire Encore Azalea
Rhododendron ‘Robleza’ ‘Bonfire’ PPIP
Plant Details
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-9b Find Your Zone
Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Shrub
Height at Maturity: 3′
Width at Maturity: 3′
Spacing: 2.5′ for solid hedges; 5’+ for space between plants
Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding, Upright
Growth Rate: Moderate
Flower Color: Glowing True Red
Flower Size: Large, 2.5″
Flowering Period: Mid-Spring, Late Summer, Early Fall, Mid-Fall
Flower Type: Semi-Double
Fragrant Flowers: No
Foliage Color: Dark Green year round
Fragrant Foliage: No
Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun, Morning Sun with Dappled or Afternoon Shade, All Day Filtered Sun, Morning Shade with Evening Sun
Water Needs: Average, lower when established
Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sandy (amended), Silt
Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist
Soil pH: 5.0 – 6.5 (Acid to Slightly Acid)
Maintenance / Care: Low, Average
Attracts: Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Visual Attention
Resistances: Deer Resistance – more info, Drought (when well established), Clay Soil (heavy clay should be amended), Heat, Humidity, Sun
Description
In 1998, the release of the first reblooming Encore Azalea changed the Azalea world forever. Since then, over 30 Encore varieties have been released. When provided enough sunlight (6 or more hours per day) all varieties bloom in spring and then repeat summer into fall.
No picture we’ve taken of Autumn Bonfire does the flower color justice. One of the most brilliant of all Encore Azaleas, Autumn Bonfire will set your landscape on fire with LOADS of 2.5″ deep true-red semi-double flowers in spring, summer, and fall! You have to see it with your own eyes to appreciate the spectacular glowing color. When in bloom, you can see this shrub from 500 yards away. The flowers stand out nicely against a background of deep green leaves that remain green in winter. Autumn Bonfire is one of the more cold hardy as well as heat tolerant varieties of the Encore Azalea Series growing as far north as USDA Hardiness Zone 6a and as far south as 10b.
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide, Autumn Bonfire Encore Azalea is a perfect choice for groupings, mass plantings, low hedges or an accent in landscape borders and home foundation plantings. Its glowing true-red blooms, fast growth rate, and abundance of flowers makes it one of the best Encore selections for growing in larger containers and pots, which can be strategically placed to dress up decks, patios, porches, and other outdoor living spaces. Because they like sun to part shade, Encores do quite well under tall trees and in woodland borders. Butterflies love the flowers, and blooming branches serve very well for cutting to create stunning indoor floral arrangements.
Suggested Spacing: 2.5 feet apart for solid hedges; 5 feet or more apart for space between plants
Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6b, where this Encore Azalea variety is not winter hardy outdoors, you can enjoy it in containers that can be moved indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.
Growing Preferences
We’ve been growing Encore Azaleas in our gardens since they were first released in the 1990’s and can say with confidence that when planted right, and in the right spot, Encore Azaleas are among the easiest azaleas easy to grow.
Soil: When planted in the ground, Encore Azaleas adapt well to most soil types. In general, like all other azaleas, the Encores prefer an organically rich, moist but well-drained acidic soil. Constantly soggy or wet soil is problematic for azaleas. Heavy clay, quick-draining sand, or otherwise poor soils are best amended with organic matter or other soil amendments to provide sufficient nutrients, better soil drainage, and/or moisture retention.
In containers, a 50/50 blend of professional potting mix and potting soil is suggested. Make sure the pot has a hole(s) in the bottom that allow for sufficient drainage. As mentioned above, Encore Azaleas do not like a constantly soggy soil.
Sun: Encore Azaleas will grow in sun or part shade. For best flowering and reblooming, we recommend at least 4 hours or more of direct sunlight per day. All-day lightly filtered sun, such as under tall trees, is okay. In regions that experience very hot summers with intense sunlight, Encore Azaleas might appreciate a break from direct sun during the mid afternoon hours.
Helpful Articles
Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Encore Azaleas
Planting Encore Azaleas
Pruning Encore Azaleas
Fertilizing Encore Azaleas
Watering Encore Azaleas
The Most Cold Tolerant Encore Azaleas
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I ordered 2 Encore Azaleas(Autumn Bonfire) in 2 gallon pots. They arrived within a week and were quite large and very healthy. One has already produced a blossom. I’m very happy with the quality and ease of ordering. Thank you Wilson Brothers for a great product!——————————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I was looking for more mature Azaleas to plant & found Wilson Bro. I’d never purchased plants online but their website offered a bit of comfort…. I bit the bullet, made a sizable purchase. Then I prayed!!!! WOW, all azaleas arrived packed & boxed perfectly moist & on time as promised. They are awesome & landscaper was totally impressed as well. PS… The General Mgr. Of the nursery even responded immediately to an email I sent on a Sunday morning inquiring about delivery…. I’m now a devoted customer… Trust these guys……trust me!!!!!——————————————————–Wow! We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and awesome review! Beth | WBG 🙂
I recently moved to South Carolina from PA and realized that all the plants are different here in the south. Wilson Brothers has plants that none of the local nurseries have and shipping is free. Their prices are a little high, but well worth the fact that the plants are pest free and arrive generally unharmed. My latest plants survived even with the delay in shipping because of Hurricane Dorian.—————————————Hi Virginia, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Autumn Bonfire Encore Azalea. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens
Received and they are planted! Waiting for them to grow and bloom! They all looked great when they arrived! Thank you.————————WBG Reply: Hi Theresa, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Autumn Bonfire Encore Azalea. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens



















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