Autumn Empress Azalea

Autumn Empress Azalea (Rhododendron 'Autumn Empress') is the azalea that flowers twice: pink blooms through spring, then a repeat in autumn when older azaleas have long finished. It settles at about 1.2m tall and 1.2m wide, which keeps it useful in a border, a pot or a low hedge.

Why you'll love it

• Two flowering seasons a year. A heavy spring flush, then a second wave in autumn, because Encore azaleas set buds on new growth as well as old wood.
• Compact and predictable. Roughly 1.2m each way at maturity, so it holds its place without constant cutting back.
• It handles heat and humidity. Where older azaleas drop leaves through a humid summer, this one holds its foliage and keeps setting buds.
• Frost hardy once established. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, so one plant works across most of the settled country.

Where it works best

Low hedging and edging. Plant 80cm apart in a single row for a low hedge that closes over two seasons. Any tighter and the plants only compete for water.

Mass planting and features. Massed at the same 80cm spacing it gives a sheet of pink twice a year, and the rounded, even habit suits a matched pair either side of a gate.

Pots and containers. A pot 400mm across suits one plant in a mix made for azaleas and camellias. Potted plants dry out faster, so keep them off a hot western wall.

Growing Autumn Empress Azalea in Australia

Position and climate. Morning sun with afternoon shade gives the heaviest flowering. Deep shade cuts the flower count and all day inland sun scorches the leaf edges. It is frost hardy once the roots are down, so cool temperate gardens are fine, though not the wet tropics or the hot arid inland.

Soil. Acidic, free draining and rich in organic matter. Work compost and aged pine bark through the bed and set the plant slightly proud of the soil, since azalea roots sit shallow. Mulch 50mm deep, off the stem.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers and never let the plant wilt, since a wilted azalea drops the buds it has set. Feed with an azalea and camellia fertiliser in late spring and again in late autumn.

Pruning. Trim lightly straight after the spring flowering, and avoid cutting in late summer or you remove the wood carrying the autumn display.

What to expect when it arrives

Autumn Empress is grown as tube stock: young single plants well under knee height, with an intact root ball that travels safely. Expect flowers in the second season and a full 1.2m frame in three to four years.

If you cannot plant straight away, pot the tubes into 150mm containers, since a tube dries out within a day in summer. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the full azalea range.
• A beginner's guide to pruning, including the timing that matters on repeat flowering shrubs.
• Find companions in plants for partial shade.
• Browse other low maintenance shrubs.

Common questions

Does it really flower twice?

Yes. Encore azaleas set buds on new growth, so a strong spring flush is followed by a second display in autumn, lighter than spring and heavier on plants watered and fed through summer.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Every azalea carries toxins in its leaves and flowers, and eating them can make cats and dogs seriously ill. Plant it out of reach of a pet that chews foliage.

Why are the leaves going yellow between the veins?

That is iron chlorosis, and it means the soil is too alkaline for an azalea. Iron chelate corrects the leaf colour within a fortnight, and a soil acidifier in autumn fixes the cause.