Growing the Autumn Starburst® Encore® Azalea

Size and Appearance

The Autumn Starburst® Encore® Azalea is a bushy evergreen shrub, adding about 4 inches a year to mature at around 3 feet tall, with a spread of 3 to 4 feet. It is always densely branched, and needs no trimming or regular pruning to stay neat, dense, and attractive. The oval leaves are dark-green, with a soft fuzzy feel, and about 1½ inches long and ¾ inch wide.

In early spring you will already be able to see those light-green buds waiting for warmer weather, and by mid-spring they will be opening. That first blooming lasts about 3 weeks and then new stems spout up. These begin to bloom again in July and continue to produce more and more, peaking in early fall, and then reducing again, stopped only by the first significant frost. This can mean blooms even in December if you live in the South. As temperatures fall new buds go into dormancy, accumulating until there are many to pass through winter, ready for the first warm days of spring again.

The gorgeous blooms are 2½ inches across, with 5 broad, ruffled petals giving a semi-double look to the bloom. The lower half of each petal is colored a bright orange-red, decorated with darker-red intricate veining, and the outer half is pure white – a striking and dramatic bicolor bloom that is a dramatic burst indeed. Blooms just keep on coming and coming, making just one bush a feature in your garden from spring through fall.

Using the Autumn Starburst® Encore® Azalea in Your Garden

With its attractive evergreen foliage, this shrub is beautiful even in winter, without blooms. This makes it great for permanent structure and edging, or filling spaces in the front of larger shrubs. Use it around your home in the foundation planting. Plant it in beds under large trees, where it looks great, or in the front of large shrub beds. Grow just one, or plant them in clusters and drifts, spacing plants 2½ feet apart. Grow it in woodland gardens with other azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias and other shade-loving plants, or edging a path or driveway. Because of their soft, fibrous root system, you can grow these plants successfully in pots and planters for years, and leave them outdoors all winter from zone 8. Place the pots on a balcony, a terrace, a porch or up a flight of steps.

Hardiness

The Autumn Starburst® Encore® Azalea is completely hardy in zone 7 to 10, and also hardy in zone 6, in a sheltered, sunny location.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Plant the Autumn Starburst® Encore® Azalea in full sun, if the soil is generally moist. That location will give you maximum reblooming through summer and fall. It will grow in partial shade, but Encore azaleas bloom best with plenty of light and direct sun. Take a look at our range of ReBLOOM® azaleas for plants that rebloom better in more shady locations.

Plant in soil that is rich, moist and well-drained. Acidic soil, with a pH below 6.5, will give you the best results. Don’t give up if you don’t have this kind of soil, just grow them in a large pot, using potting soil and fertilizer made for acid-loving plants – it is widely available. Always choose a pot with a drainage hole and water thoroughly every time the top ½ inch becomes dry.

Pruning and Maintenance

You will have the best blooming and growth if you mulch each spring with a lime-free compost, and water regularly – this plant isn’t drought resistant. You shouldn’t need to do much if any pruning, and never trim the new growth that comes after the spring blooms – or you will prevent re-blooming.

History and Origin of the Autumn Starburst® Encore® Azalea

We have Robert E. Lee, a keen azalea lover and nurseryman from Independence, Louisiana, to thank for the Encore® azaleas. He began with a special plant called ‘Fourth of July’ he was given by a botanist called Dr. Thornton. He had grown it from the seeds of a rare plant called Rhododendron oldhamii, from Taiwan. In 1983 Mr Lee used pollen from this new plant on a cold-hardy azalea called ‘Shroeder’s Pink Perfection’, and grew the seeds. Starting with the seedlings he got from this cross he developed many different plants, all of them reblooming amazingly. One characteristic of azaleas is how a branch can suddenly grow with different flowers from the rest of the plant. These ‘branch sports’ gave him more varieties, including one called ‘Roblet’, or Autumn Sunburst. In 2016 Russell McConnell, from Loxley, Alabama, was growing ‘Roblet’ at his nursery, when he spotted another ‘branch sport’. That became ‘Robleze’ and was patented in 2020, joining the Encore azaleas as Autumn Starburst®.

Buying the Autumn Starburst® Encore® Azalea at The Tree Center

It is amazing how each year new, even better Encore azaleas arrive at our farm. They don’t last long, though, as we have regular clients just waiting to get hold of the latest introductions. So don’t hesitate to order yours – or they will all be gone.

Growing the Homebush Azalea

Size and Appearance

The Homebush Azalea is an upright deciduous shrub that will reach 6 feet tall within its first 10 years in your garden, ultimately reaching 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide, so consider that when choosing where to plant it. It has an open branching structure, forming a dome shape. The elliptical leaves are about 3 inches long, and a slightly glossy dark green, quite different from the small hairy leaves of most azaleas, or the thick leathery ones of rhododendrons. The flowers are carried in clusters at the ends of the branches and each ball-shaped truss has about 15 blooms in it, each about 1¼ inches across, like flaring trumpets, and semi-double, with extra petals giving them a fuller look. You might be excused for thinking, from a distance, that it was a hydrangea, with the rounded flower heads and the bright pink coloring. The color is a purple-pink with darker undertones, of radiant beauty – one of the very best pink deciduous azaleas available. Blooming is usually in May, around the peak of the azalea season, but that varies a little with your planting zone.

Using the Homebush Azalea in Your Garden

The Homebush Azalea will be a wonderful addition to your garden, growing in shrub beds, on the east side of your home, or in semi-shade beneath large deciduous trees. It could even be planted on a lawn as a specimen, and grown in a row as a screen between more formal parts of the garden and wilder parts.

Hardiness

The Homebush Azalea grows well all the way from zone 5 into zone 8. It grows best in areas with regular rain and cooler summers and it is ideal for cool zones where evergreen azaleas can’t be grown.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Plant the Homebush Azalea in full sun in the cooler zones, and in partial shade anywhere. Morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal, or the dappled shade beneath tall deciduous trees. It should be planted in acidic soil, with a pH value of 6.0 or less, although it is less demanding for this than evergreen azaleas, and with generous soil amendments it can be grown in neutral and even slightly alkaline soils. Use plenty of lime-free organic materials, like compost, rotted leaves or peat-moss, when planting and as thick mulches.

Maintenance and Pruning

Apart from regular watering when young, and deep soaks in summer for mature plants, no special attention is needed to succeed with the Homebush Azalea. Little or no pruning is needed, or even desirable – let it grow into its natural form. When young it is useful to take the trouble of removing the spent flower clusters – snap them out, without removing any foliage or damaging new growth. This prevents seeding and encourages more blooms for the following year.

History and Origin of the Homebush Azalea

Anthony Waterer was one of the most important early breeders of azaleas and rhododendrons, whose Knap Hill nursery in southern England was a center for the introduction and breeding of rhododendrons in the 19th century. Most of the earliest plants were from Asia, but Waterer was particularly taken with the North American species. The flame azalea, Rhododendron calendulaceum, from the Appalachians, was especially valuable for its unique orange and yellow colors. Waterer crossed it with the Chinese Rhododendron molle, with yellow blooms, and added in other American species like the cold-resistant smooth azalea, Rhododendron arborescens and the western azalea, Rhododendron occidentale, which grows on alkaline soils. The many hybrids he created became known as the Knap Hill Hybrids, the most important group of deciduous azaleas we have. The variety called ‘Homebush’ was created sometime before 1925, when it was released by the Slocock Nurseries. It has been an enduring favorite ever since.

Buying the Homebush Azalea at the Tree Center

If you didn’t know about deciduous azaleas, let the Homebush Azalea be your introduction to these fascinating and easy-to-grow plants. You will love how easy it is to grow, how cold-resistant, and how gorgeous. Britain’s Royal Horticultural Society gave it an award in 1950 and again, with the Award of Garden Merit, in 1993, clear recommendations of its value, but order now, because the popular bush is always in high demand, and sells out almost as fast as we bring it into our stock.

Growing the Cheerful Giant Azalea

Size and Appearance

The Cheerful Giant Azalea is a deciduous shrub growing to 5 feet tall within the first 10 years, ultimately doubling that height. When young it is about as wide as it is tall, but eventually it will become more column-like, staying no more than 6 feet wide. The stems are unusually sturdy and strong, with a bold upright form. The leaves are elliptical in shape, between 3 and 4 inches long, and dark green. In fall they take on unique metallic blue-green colors before dropping to show the winter profile of this shrub. Flowering takes place in mid-spring, in the middle of azalea season, and the flowers are clustered in large trusses of about 12 blooms, at the end of every branch. The flowers are double, packed with 15 petals, and they are incredibly frilly and ruffled, each one 3½ inches across, making an incredible display. The color is an extraordinary golden yellow, with apricot tones on the back of the blooms – ‘cheerful’ is exactly right to describe them, and yellow is a relatively rare color for azaleas. After this stunning display has ended no dead-heading is needed, since this variety doesn’t produce seeds – the flower stems will just wither away.

Using the Cheerful Giant Azalea in Your Garden

Deciduous azaleas are wonderful additions to shrub beds, especially in areas beneath and around trees. Grow this plant on the east side of your home, among evergreen azaleas and rhododendrons, or with other shrubs for partial shade. Give it a prominent place where its beauty can be seen from far and wide.

Hardiness

The Cheerful Giant Azalea is reliably hardy throughout zone 5 and will bloom well there. It is also likely to succeed in warmer parts of zone 4, in sheltered spots. It grows well in warmer zones up to zone 8.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

This shrub will grow in full sun in cooler zones, and in partial shade in warmer areas. Morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal, and light partial shade, such as beneath tall deciduous trees, is also suitable. Although less ‘fussy’ than evergreen azaleas, the Cheerful Giant Azalea will grow best in acidic soils, with a pH of 6.0 or less. The soil should be rich and well-drained, so add plenty of lime-free organic materials like compost, peat-moss and rotted leaves, when preparing the planting area. Also use these materials as mulch.

Maintenance and Pruning

Water regularly during dry spells – a steady supply of moisture on well-drained soil will give the best results. Mulch in fall to protect the roots from cold and to provide cover for water retention and coolness in the following summer. This plant is not drought resistant. It is generally free of pests or diseases and is best left to grow naturally, with little or no pruning. You can deadhead for appearance, but it isn’t necessary to prevent seeding, as this plant is sterile.

History and Origin of the Cheerful Giant Azalea

Anthony Waterer was one of the great early azalea breeders, and in the 1870s he created a group of deciduous azaleas that are named after his nursery, at Knap Hill in southern England. They have the American Rhododendron calendulaceum and the Chinese Rhododendron molle in their parentage, as well as the north American species R. arborescens and R. occidentale. It is these American species that give them their hardiness. In the 20th century the name continued to be used and expanded to include hybrids by Lionel de Rothschild at Exbury, England, and others created as far afield as Australia, Norway and Canada. The variety called Cheerful Giant is a Knap Hill type hybrid developed by S.E. Sorenson at Homestead Nurseries, Clayburn, British Columbia, Canada. It was a seedling from a cross between a deciduous azalea called ‘Whitethroat’ and a yellow seedling that Sorenson had previously developed. It was probably bred during the 1980s.

Buying the Cheerful Giant Azalea at the Tree Center

Deciduous azaleas are often overlooked, and some gardeners don’t even know they exist. Yet they bring us the most wonderful colors, especially in the yellow range, and they are much more hardy and not as difficult to grow as evergreen ones. Start your collection with the Gentle Giant Azalea, one of the most beautiful of them all, but order now, because our stock is limited and this variety is always sought after but in short supply.

Growing the FlorAmore® Hot Pink Azalea

Size and Appearance

The FlorAmore Hot Pink Azalea is a robust but compact evergreen shrub growing rapidly into a dense, rounded bush around 3 feet tall and wide. The evergreen leaves are held well even during the winter months, so it always looks good, never bare and thin. The leaves are neat ovals of dark green, about 1½ inches long and 1 inch wide. They have a slightly leathery texture, but a soft surface because of the short, fine hairs that cover them on both sides, more densely on the underside.

Blooming begins in March or April, when the promising buds, that have sat through the winter months, begin to swell and grow. Blooms are in clusters at the ends of the branches, with up to 12 blooms in a single cluster. The buds expand first, showing bright pink coloring for 2 or 3 days before opening fully. The open flower is a flaring trumpet of a clear, bright pink, with no spots or blotches in the center. Each one is decorated with 5 graceful stamens that arch outwards. The blooms are very long-lasting, holding their form and color for a full week, before dropping neatly. This variety doesn’t make seeds, so no seed pods need to be trimmed, and the plant wastes no energy making them.

After the first flush, you will see new stems growing out from the tip of each branch, and these can be up to 10 inches long, so this bush expands rapidly in size when young. By mid-July you will see buds have formed at the ends of these branches, and blooming begins again, continuing as new stems keep growing. Only when it becomes cooler do some of the buds become dormant, waiting to form the flowers for the next spring. Gradually, after many weeks of blooming, the show is over for another year.

Using the FlorAmore® Hot Pink Azalea in Your Garden

With its ability to grow in brighter settings, you can grow this great plant almost anywhere. Plant it in the central part of small beds, or in the foreground of larger ones. Grow it around mature trees, or along a path. Greet yourself with color by planting near the front door. Use it along casual walks in wooded areas, or grow it in a pot or planter box.

Hardiness

The FlorAmore Hot Pink Azalea is hardy from zone 7 through zone 9. In cooler areas it could be grown in a pot for years, keeping it in a bright, frost-free but cool space during the winter months – anywhere in the country.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The FlorAmore Hot Pink Azalea is happy in full sun if the soil is moist, and it will also grow well in light shade, perhaps with morning sun and afternoon shade. Too much shade tends to reduce the second blooming. Like all azaleas, it needs rich, moist but well-drained soil that is acidic, with a pH value of 6.0 or less. If you don’t have suitable soil it will grow in a planter or pot. The fibrous root system means it is happy in pots for years, even when it becomes large and mature.

Maintenance and Pruning

Use lime-free mulches, spread each spring or fall, to feed your plants, conserve moisture and keep the roots cool. Cover the root zone but avoid covering branches or leaves. In less-than-perfect soils use fertilizers for acid-loving flowering shrubs. The FlorAmore Hot Pink Azalea is generally free of significant pests or diseases. This plant doesn’t need dead-heading, and it shouldn’t need pruning either. Don’t trim the new stems as this will reduce or eliminate the re-blooming. If you do want to shape or trim your plant, only do it immediately after the spring flowering.

History and Origin of the FlorAmore® Hot Pink Azalea

The beginnings of reblooming azaleas can be found in a rare azalea from Taiwan, called Rhododendron olhamii. From seed send to America a unique variety grew, one that produced some blooms in summer and fall. Called ‘Fourth of July’, this was the plant that the skilled breeder Robert E. “Buddy” Lee, from Independence, Louisiana, began with, making many, many crosses with different traditional azalea varieties. The result was the Encore® Azaleas, a well-known re-blooming range. Back in 1996 Buddy collected seed from one of his breeding plants coded as VFXOHI-1. Much later, in 2010, when inspecting his vast array of breeding material, he spotted one of the seedlings of that collection, with fantastic hot pink flowers. He patented it in 2017 as `Lazamoropi’. Star® Roses and Plants have released this plant as one of their FlorAmore® Azalea range, colored as Hot Pink, one of their Bloomables®, new quality varieties of flowering shrubs.

Buying the FlorAmore® Hot Pink Azalea at the Tree Center

We love this great azalea for the way it compliments, with bright color, our extensive range of Encore® Azaleas. Just as reliably re-blooming, this azalea will bring more color, for more weeks, than you ever thought possible from just one plant. These new plants are attractive dedicated followers, so order now, while our stock lasts.

Growing the FlorAmore® Pink Azalea

Size and Appearance

The FlorAmore Pink Azalea is a densely-branching evergreen shrub growing at a moderate rate to become 3 feet tall and wide. It has compact branching to the ground, and retains its foliage well through the winter months. The leaves are small, just over one inch long, creating a dense, tight look, and they are very dark green. Smooth ovals, they have a soft feel from the short, dense hairs on the underside and the scattering of hairs on the upper side.

The flowers are long-lasting, staying colorful and attractive for a full week, plus the 2 or 3 days that the buds show color just before opening. Blooms first open in early March and continue into mid-April, with a profuse flowering that obscures the foliage. The flowers are carried in clusters of 3 to 5, at the ends of every branch, all over the bush. Almost 2½ inches across, the flowers are a beautiful warm mid-pink, with an outer circle of 5 petals filled with up to 9 secondary petals, making a semi-double bloom. The petals are splashed in their throat with dots of darker reddish-pink. After that initial blooming new stems sprout from below the old flowers, which drop neatly, without leaving seed heads. By July blooms return, from new buds on those new stems, and these increase steadily into the fall, often ending only with the arrival of frost. Towards the end of the season the flower buds become dormant, sitting through winter to create the blooms of the next spring.

Using the FlorAmore® Pink Azalea in Your Garden

This azalea has unusual resistance to full sun, so it can be grown almost anywhere in your garden. Use it in shrub beds, along a path or driveway, or in wooded areas. Plant it beneath your mature trees, or near the front of your home for endless color. It also grows well in pots and planters, thriving for years with minimal care.

Hardiness

The FlorAmore Pink Azalea grows well in zones 7, 8, and 9. Since it can be grown in pots, it can be grown anywhere in the country if you have a cool, bright, frost-free place to grow it during winter. A glass porch is often ideal.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The FlorAmore Hot Pink Azalea is more resistant to sun than most older types of azaleas. If the soil is moist it will grow well in full sun, and that position also creates the maximum reblooming. It also grows well in partial shade, such as morning sun and afternoon shade, and in light dappled shade too. Too much shade will reduce blooming. It grows best in rich, moist, well-drained acidic soils, with a pH value of 6.0 or less. If you don’t have suitable soil, plant it in a pot or planter box, using soil blended for acid-loving plants.

Maintenance and Pruning

Use a lime-free organic mulch, like peat moss, pine needles or garden compost, regularly. Spread it over the root-zone in spring or fall, avoiding stems and leaves. This will keep the soil moist and cool, as well as releasing some nutrients. In poorer soils using fertilizer for acid-loving shrubs will give great results, and these should be used regularly for plants in pots. Generally free of pests or diseases, azaleas are easy to grow once you have suitable soil, moisture and light levels. The FlorAmore Hot Pink Azalea has neat growth, and doesn’t normally need pruning. If you do want to trim it, do this immediately after the blooms have finished, and at no other time. Avoid cutting the new growth, as this prevents reblooming.

History and Origin of the FlorAmore® Pink Azalea

Reblooming azaleas owe their beginnings to a rare azalea from Taiwan, called Rhododendron olhamii. A unique reblooming variety called ‘Fourth of July’ was discovered last century, among seedlings of that species. Robert E. “Buddy” Lee has a nursery in Independence, Louisiana, and there he began crossing traditional, ‘once a year’ azaleas with ‘Fourth of July’. Among the first plants he made was one with bright red-pink blooms, that he called ‘Conlea’. It is known as the Autumn Rouge Azalea, part of what became the Encore® Azalea series – the first reblooming azaleas. In 1997 Buddy sowed seed he had collected from that variety, and in the fall of 2002 he selected one seedling. It had beautiful true-pink blooms, on a compact bush. After years of trials he received a patent for it in 2017, with the name `Lazamorink`. This beautiful bush is made available as the FlorAmore® Pink Azalea, a range belonging to Star® Roses and Plants, one of their Bloomables®, a collection of unique varieties of flowering shrubs.

Buying the FlorAmore® Pink Azalea at the Tree Center

We love this bright bloomer, which complements perfectly the tones of the Encore® Azalea range. Fill your garden with endless blooms without needing an endless variety of shrubs – it’s easy, just grow the FlorAmore® Pink Azalea. Order now, because this plant is hugely popular, and our stock is limited – they will all be gone very soon.

Growing the FlorAmore® Red Azalea

Size and Appearance

The FlorAmore Red Azalea grows vigorously into a rounded evergreen shrub with branches down to the ground, forming a mound about 3 feet tall and wide. The handsome leaves don’t fall off in winter, even in zone 7 – no, they hold tight, keeping your bush dense and attractive. The oval leaves are 1¼ inches long and ½ an inch wide, and a deep green color. They have a solid texture and a soft feel, with scattered short hairs on the top and a denser coating of hairs on the lower side.

As soon as March or April, you will see the first profuse flush of blooms. Every branch is topped with a cluster of up to 5 small buds, opening into large oval red buds. After 2 or 3 days they open wide into a 3-inch diameter flaring funnel of 5 rounded petals. Free of spots, these glow and radiate that pure, brilliant bright red we call ‘scarlet’. Five long stamens topped with a cluster of pollen flare out too, adding a decorative touch. Blooms last a whole week before neatly dropping to the ground, and no seed pods form, so that tedious dead-heading isn’t needed.

As soon as the flowers fall, new stems sprout out from the top of each stem, increasing the size of your bush by up to 8 inches. As these new leaves mature this plant is hard at work, developing new clusters of flower-buds at the end of each one. These begin to bloom again by mid-July, and they keep going, gather in strength and abundance, right to the end of fall. With cooler fall weather some of the buds become dormant, saving their blooms for the following spring, until finally it is over for the year.

Using the FlorAmore® Red Azalea in Your Garden

Sun-tolerant, you can use the FlorAmore Red Azalea in many parts of your garden. Grow it as a colorful accent plant among other shrubs, or plant it in clusters in larger beds. Grow it along a pathway as a brilliant edging. Space plants in groups or rows at 24-inch intervals. This plant also grows well in planter boxes and pots, thriving and blooming for many years.

Hardiness

The FlorAmore Red Azalea is hardy from zone 7 to zone 9, staying fully evergreen and blooming well. If you have a cool but bright spot that is frost-free, like a glass porch, you can grow it there in winter, and enjoy this plant wherever you live.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The FlorAmore Red Azalea has good sun tolerance if the soil is moist, and it enjoys some morning sun, with afternoon shade. It also grows in light full shade, such as beneath deciduous trees, but avoid too much shade, as this will reduce reblooming. The soil should be moist, rich, well-drained and acidic, with a pH value of 6.0 or less. Enrich your soil with lime-free materials like compost or rotted leaves before planting.

Maintenance and Pruning

Lime-free mulches will keep the soil moist and cool, so add a 2-inch layer in spring or fall. Use any fertilizer designed for lime-hating flowering shrubs as directed, especially when growing the FlorAmore Red Azalea in containers. Use lime-free potting soil, and water when the top half-inch is dry. Pests and diseases rarely cause any problems, and it is best to avoid any significant pruning. If you do need to prune, do it immediately after the spring flowers have finished. Don’t trim the new branches as they grow, as this will reduce or eliminate re-blooming.

History and Origin of the FlorAmore® Red Azalea

Robert E. “Buddy” Lee, is a prolific azalea breeder from Independence, Louisiana, who brought us the Encore® Azaleas. For those he used an early reblooming variety called ‘Fourth of July’, but that is not the only azalea that sometimes produces more blooms in summer and fall. B.Y. Morrison was an azalea breeder in the 1930s and 1940s who developed the Glenn Dale azaleas – evergreens that were more cold-resistant than anything before them. Among them was ‘Red Slippers’, with rose-red flowers that often return in summer and fall. Buddy Lee took pollen from a deep-red azalea called ‘Arabesk’ and used it on ‘Red Slippers’. He grew the seed and in 2006 he found one plant among the seedlings – one plant with big scarlet blooms and strong re-blooming habit. After further trials he patented it in 2017 as ‘Lazamored’. This plant was placed in their FlorAmore® azalea range by Star® Roses and Plants, as the FlorAmore® Red Azalea, part of their Bloomables® brand of exciting new flowering shrubs.

Buying the FlorAmore® Red Azalea at the Tree Center

Buddy Lee never fails to bring us new, exciting plants, and this show-stopper is no exception. Red azaleas are always big sellers, and this one is going to be no exception. Order now, and sit back for the show, but do it fast, because this is one variety we won’t have around for long.

Growing the White Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea

Size and Appearance

The White Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea is a low, mounding shrub growing no more than 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. It has dense branching, so it stays bushy and neat, needing no trimming to keep it that way. The small leaves are only ½ to 1½ inches long, and neat dark-green ovals. They have a soft feel because of the many short soft hairs they are covered with.

Blooming begins in April or May, on buds that were formed late in the previous year. This first blooming is profuse, and it lasts 4 weeks or longer. Then the bush takes a short rest, while new shoots grow, and then by July in most areas those new stems begin to bloom. Blooming increases steadily, until by September and into October it is extensive, and often lasts until the first hard frost brings the season to an end. Every stem carries 2 or 3 buds at its end, and these produce about 3 flowers each, so up to 10 blooms can develop in succession at the end of a single stem. Each bloom lasts up to 10 days, so you can see what a prolific and profuse display you will see. The single blooms are like open trumpets, up to 3 inches across, with a smooth, velvety texture and flamboyantly ruffled edges. Both inside and outside the flower is a pure, snow-white, with just a scattering of dark spots deep in the throat, to give depth. Flowers drop cleanly, without any dead-heading being needed.

Using the White Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea in Your Garden

The lower size of this bush makes it ideal for smaller gardens, or for edging your garden beds, or turning the corner of a pathway. Plant them 2 feet apart for a continuous border – perhaps with other colors from the taller plants in the Bloom-A-Thon® range behind, in a gorgeous bed of endlessly blooming azaleas. It is also ideal for pot culture, planted in boxes, in pots up a stairway, or on a table in a porch or lanai.

Hardiness

This White Azalea is hardy even in zone 6, and it has excellent winter retention of foliage, with just a few leaves possibly dropping from the center of the plant in the coldest zones. It also has excellent resistance to heat, so it grows just as well in all the hot zones.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Grow the White Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea in partial or light full shade. Morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal, but these plants are well-adapted to growing in more shade, and still rebloom reliably. The best soil is moist, well-drained, rich and acidic, with a pH of 5.5 or less. Enrich planting areas with lime-free organic material. If you don’t have suitable soil, grow in pots or planters, using soil for acid-loving plants. Azaleas have fine roots and live comfortably in pots for many years.

Maintenance and Pruning

Use mulch over the roots to conserve moisture, and water regularly during dry periods. Feed with azalea food, especially when growing in pots. We recommend a light trim after the spring blooming, to remove seed pods and encourage new stems. It is at the end of those shoots that new flowers will form. You will notice buds in late fall no longer opening. This is normal, and those buds will give the early spring blooms of the next year. Don’t trim in summer or fall, or before the spring flowering begins.

History and Origin of the White Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea

Robert Head is America’s expert on reblooming azaleas, and he created not only the Bloom-A-Thon® range, but the ReBLOOM varieties as well. The exclusive range of Bloom-A-Thon® azaleas all have crisp, clean colors, good winter hardiness and compact growth. Robert Head began with many older varieties that show a slight tendency to rebloom, and by crossing them he built up over the years a large collection of promising plants. It was one of those that he used to make the White Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea. In 1996, he pollinated a plant code-named RLH-1800-WS with pollen from an older azalea variety called ‘September Song’, and in 2000 the seedlings he grew began to bloom. One had gorgeous white flowers, and after further trials and study it was patented in 2010 with the official name of `RLH1-3P3`. It is one of the five varieties available in the Bloom-A-Thon® range, which is distributed to nurseries by Proven Winners®, a brand managed by Spring Meadow Nursery and owned by a group of major US wholesale growers.

Buying the White Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea at The Tree Center

There is no doubt that white is the most useful color in the garden, and the best gardeners use it profusely. You can too with the White Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea, and you will love the months of bloom you get from just this one plant. Order right away, though, while you still can, as our limited stock will be gone very soon.

Growing the Red Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea

Size and Appearance

The Red Bloom-A-Thon Azalea is a dense, mounding, evergreen shrub growing 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. It has a naturally bushy habit, and never looks untidy or leggy. It is covered right to the ground in small oval leaves that are 1 to 2 inches long. They are rich dark green and covered in fine hairs that give them a velvety feel. This plant has good retention of the foliage through winter, and even in zone 6 leaves are retained at the ends of the branches, with some dropping of internal foliage.

The flowers on this gorgeous azalea are rich, dark red with purplish overtones – a superb color with great depth. The flowers are carried in clusters at the ends of every branch, and some clusters can produce over 30 blooms, each one lasting up to 10 days. They are usually single blooms, with a wide trumpet shape and 5 wavy-edged petals flaring outwards. The throat of the blooms is marked with very dark-red spots and streaks, deepening the effect even more. Some flowers produce additional petals, with up to 5 additional petals inside the trumpet making a semi-double bloom – all in all a wonderful show. Flowering begins in April and continues through May for a month or more, and then stops briefly while new shoots are produced. These begin to bloom again as early as July, continuing with more and more blooms opening all through fall, often only stopping with the arrival of the first hard frost.

Using the Red Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea in Your Garden

The rich red of this azalea looks wonderful against all dark foliage, and also with purples and pinks – such as the Hot Pink or Pink Double Bloom-A-Thon azaleas. Make an all-season show by mixing varieties together. You can grow this shrub in any garden bed, or as a border along a path or driveway. Grow it around mature deciduous trees, or in more natural open wooded areas. It is also wonderful in pots around your terrace or patio.

Hardiness

All the Bloom-A-Thon azaleas have been selected for cold resistance, so the Red Azalea grows well even in sheltered spots in zone 6. It thrives in all warmer zones too, coping well with hot summer weather.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Grow the Red Azalea in partial shade or light full shade. It blooms much more in shady places than other reblooming azaleas like the Encore azalea bushes. Morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal in all zones, with more sun in cooler areas. The soil should be moist, well-drained and rich in organic material – good bed preparation pays big dividends in growth and blooming. The soil also should be acidic, with a pH value of 5.5 or less. If you don’t have suitable soil, azaleas grow well for many years in pots or planters, using soil for acid-loving plants.

Maintenance and Pruning

A spring mulch over the rootzone (keep clear of stems and leaves) and some azalea fertilizer will make a big difference to your success – and it only takes a moment or two. Plants in pots should be fed regularly with a liquid azalea food. Pruning isn’t needed, but we do recommend a light trim when the spring blooming is over. It takes away the seed heads that draw energy away from the next flower crop, and also stimulates more new shoots that equal more flowers. Pests and diseases won’t usually be an issue, but watering regularly is good, because the fine roots dry out easily.

History and Origin of the Red Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea

Robert Head has become the driving force behind reblooming azaleas, thanks to his dedication and hard work. It takes years to create new plants, and Robert has been at this for years, so he knows what he is doing. Besides bringing us the ReBLOOM azaleas, he created the exclusive Bloom-A-Thon® collection for Proven Winners®. This brand is an exclusive and exciting collection for Spring Meadow Nurseries and the consortium of wholesale growers who own it. With just 5 varieties in it, every Bloom-A-Thon® plant is special, with clear, strong colors, good winter hardiness and foliage retention, and reliable reblooming. To create the Red Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea he started with as many varieties as he could find that have some tendency to produce a few flowers late in the summer. He crossed and re-crossed them at his Long Creek, South Carolina breeding farm. In 1996 he took one of his own plants, code named RLH-1900-RP, and pollinated it with pollen from an older colorful variety called ‘September Song’. He grew a batch of seedlings, and among them was one with red blooms that just wouldn’t stop sending out new flowers – exactly what he had been hoping for. This new variety was officially named ‘RLH1-1P2’, and granted a patent in 2010, after extensive trials.

Buying the Red Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea at The Tree Center

A garden without red flowers is like French fries without salt, so make a space for the Red Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea in yours. You will get months of bloom on this spectacular bush, but put your order in right away, because everyone wants to get hold of this bush, and our supplies are limited.

Growing the Pink Double Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea

Size and Appearance

The Pink Double Azalea is an attractive evergreen bush that grows steadily into a rounded mound of branches, reaching over 4 feet tall, and up to 4 feet across in time. The leaves are slender ovals, between 1 and 2 inches long, and an attractive dark green color. They have a slightly velvety touch because there are short, fine hairs covering the upper and lower surfaces. The leaves hold their color well, and stay evergreen, although in colder zones some of the central leaves of the bush may fall in winter. They will quickly be replaced when spring returns.

In April the first blooming takes place. It is profuse, and lasts 4 to 6 weeks, with each flower staying attractive for up to 10 days. Then blooming takes a brief rest, but by July scattered blooms begin to open again. This accelerates as fall arrives, and all the way through October until the first hard frost, a profusion of blooms is produced. This reblooming period lasts 12 to 16 weeks, meaning a total of over 20 weeks of the year where your bush can be in bloom. What blooms they are, too. Every stem ends in a cluster of buds that can produce 6 to 9 flowers, each one up to 4 inches across. The outer whorl of 5 petals is filled with another 10, and each one is fluted, with wavy margins. In among the inner petals are more – up to 10 additional slender, twisted ‘petals’ that are actually the modified stamens of the flower, called petaloids. What colors, too – the whole flower is a glowing true pink, filled with light and clarity. Its depth is accentuated by darker spots and streaks at the base of the petals, almost hidden, but suggesting greater depths in these delicious blooms.

Using the Pink Double Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea in Your Garden

With its profusion of blooms, you obviously want to make these bushes center-pieces of your garden beds, or plant them along a path where they can be appreciated up close. Plant them along the margins of a wooded area, or in beds beneath large deciduous trees. They are also perfect specimens for pots and planter boxes, especially if you don’t have ‘azalea ready’ garden soil.

Hardiness

The Pink Double Azalea has been bred for resistance to winter cold, and it is hardy in sheltered parts of zone 6, as well as throughout zone 7. It is also resistant to summer heat, so it thrives in zones 8 and 9 as well.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The ideal spot for the Pink Double Azalea has morning sun and afternoon shade, but this plant will grow in full sun in zone 6, if the soil is moist, and also in full shade – reblooming much more reliably in shade than Encore azaleas do. The soil should be moist but well-drained, and we recommend regular watering, especially during the heat and dryness of summer. Rich organic soil is best, so add plenty of lime-free compost when preparing your beds. The pH of the soil needs to be 5.5 or lower, but if you don’t have suitable soil it is easy to grow this bush in a pot, using soil blended for acid-loving plants.

Maintenance and Pruning

It is not true that azaleas are hard to grow – they are easy once you have suitable soil and light. Mulch in spring with compost, avoiding burying the branches or leaves. Use azalea fertilizer, particularly for plants growing in containers. Pests and diseases normally don’t cause problems. Although this bush is naturally dense and needs no trimming to keep its compact shape, we do recommend a light trim as soon as the spring blooming is over. This will remove the spent flowers so that they don’t seed and also stimulate new shoots, which will carry the summer and fall blossoms. Don’t trim later as this will prevent that precious second blooming.

History and Origin of the Pink Double Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea

It takes dedication and steady work to create something new among garden plants, and Robert Head has done that for over 20 years, making him a leader in breeding reblooming azaleas. He created the ReBLOOM azaleas, and also developed the select group of just five varieties of Bloom-A-Thon® plants for Proven Winners®, a brand managed by Spring Meadow Nursery and owned by a group of major US growers. Working at his facility in Long Creek, South Carolina, he has brought together a big collection of breeding stock for the many crosses he has made. To create the variety we know as Pink Double, he started from the earlier work of Robert Gartrell, who, back in the 1950s, created the first hardy azaleas with large blossoms. These are the Robin Hill Azaleas, named after Gartrell’s home in Ridgewood, New Jersey. One of his plants, called ‘Watchet’, is hardy in zone 6, with large pink blooms with red markings in the throat. In the spring of 1996 Robert Head used pollen from that plant on one of his own hybrids, code-named RLH-1900-RP. Among the seedlings he raised was an outstanding reblooming plant with large double pink flowers. When patented in 2010, after extensive trials, it was officially named `RLH1-2P8`.

Buying the Pink Double Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea at The Tree Center

Double your fun and double your pleasure with the double blooming season and double flowers of the Pink Double Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea. But put your order in now, because these plants leave the farm in double-quick time!

Growing the Lavender Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea

Size and Appearance

The Lavender Bloom-A-Thon Azalea is a bushy, upright shrub that grows vigorously to be over 4 feet tall and almost as wide. It is naturally rounded and needs no trimming to stay neat and attractive. Its many branches mean foliage to the ground, and it is cold resistant, staying semi-evergreen all winter long. The small leaves are oval, with a soft, slightly furry feel because of the short hairs that cover their surface. Those leaves are dark green, hold their color well, and they are no more than 2 inches long, adding to the neat look that makes this an attractive plant even when it has no blooms.

The flowers first appear in April, in a big spring display. Then your bush takes a short break, sending out lots of new shoots, and by July you will start to see blooms again. These continue, becoming more prolific, right through October, often ending only with the first hard frost. Every stem carries a cluster of up to 6 blossoms at its end, and as cooler weather comes the buds become dormant, protecting the flowers for the following spring. The flowers are open and star-shaped, a full 3 inches across, and often you can hardly see the leaves for the profusion of blooms. Each blossom lasts up to 10 days, before dropping neatly – tedious dead-heading is not required. The coloring is delicious – a warm, rich, pinky purple, enhanced by bold dark-red spots and streaks in the throat of each bloom – and of course you will be seeing lots of it, with this bush blooming for more than 20 weeks of the year.

Using the Lavender Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea in Your Garden

The bright coloring of the Lavender Azalea fits in with most other shrub colors, so use this bush in your garden beds to keep them always bright and interesting. Grow it at the back of small beds, or in the middle of larger ones, and plant it around the edges of your larger evergreens. Grow it along a driveway or path or plant a pair on either side of a gate. Hide a boring fence with a row of beauty or grow it in planters on your terrace or patio, or inside your lanai.

Hardiness

Zones 7 to 9 are all ideal for growing the Lavender Azalea perfectly. It even grows well in sheltered parts of zone 6. It may drop a few leaves during the coldest months, but it will remain semi-evergreen, and bounce back as soon as warmer weather returns.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The Lavender Azalea enjoys a wide range of light levels, and it is especially suitable for light full shade, where it will still bloom well, unlike other reblooming azaleas, which need plenty of sunshine. It really enjoys morning sun and afternoon shade. The soil should be moist but well-drained, and rich in organic material. Add plenty when preparing the planting spot, and as a mulch each spring. The soil should be acidic, with a pH of 5.5 or less. If you don’t have suitable soil, don’t worry, because like all azaleas it grows well in planters for years, using potting soil for acid-loving plants.

Maintenance and Pruning

Mulch in spring, and some azalea fertilizer, will make the Lavender Azalea really happy. Keep mulch off the stems and leaves, covering the whole root zone. Plants in containers should be fed regularly with liquid azalea food. Trim lightly after that first spring display, to encourage a flush of new stems – these will carry the later blooms and remove seed heads. Pests or diseases are rare, and this robust shrub is easy to grow. Water regularly during dry periods, as azaleas are not drought resistant.

History and Origin of the Lavender Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea

The North Carolina breeder Robert Head is an expert in reblooming azaleas, and he developed both the Bloom-A-Thon® Azaleas and the ReBLOOM varieties. To develop the beautiful Lavender azalea, he began 15 years earlier with older varieties that sometimes send out a few stray blooms over the summer. He kept crossing and selecting until he had many promising plants to work with. In 1996 he crossed two of his seedlings (code names RLH-1900-RP and RLH-19-PAF) and among the batch of plants he raised was one that looked gorgeous and just wouldn’t stop blooming. He named it ‘RLH1-4P19’ and patented it in 2010, after extensive testing. It has been released as the Lavender Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea. This range of five varieties, selected for hardiness, large blossoms and clear, bright colors, was created for Proven Winners®, a group of several major plant growers.

Buying the Lavender Bloom-A-Thon® Azalea at The Tree Center

All the Bloom-A-Thon® Azaleas have been selected to blend with each other, so the Lavender Azalea looks great with any of the other varieties. Why not build a collection and have months of great color in your garden? But act fast, because these popular plants always sell out as soon as they arrive.