Autumn Ivory Azalea

Autumn Ivory Azalea (Rhododendron 'Autumn Ivory') is a repeat flowering Encore type, which means pure white blooms in spring and a second show from late summer into autumn rather than three weeks and done. It grows to about 1.4m tall and 1.2m wide, dense enough to clip into a low flowering hedge at 80cm spacing, and it is comfortable in humid summers.

Why you'll love it

• It flowers twice. The spring flush is the heavy one, then buds set again on the new growth for a second display through late summer and autumn.
• A wide climate range. Frost hardy and humidity tolerant, so it works from cool temperate gardens through warm temperate and into the subtropics.
• White goes with everything. Clean ivory flowers sit comfortably against brick, render or a mixed border where a hot pink azalea would fight the palette.
• Dense enough to hedge. Planted 80cm apart it makes a flowering hedge around 1.2m high with two light trims a year.

Where it works best

Flowering hedges and mass planting. Space plants 80cm apart, in a single row for a hedge or across a bed for a block. At that spacing the shrubs meet into a continuous band that stays furnished at the base, which is where a hedge usually fails.

Pots and feature planting. A pot 400mm or wider lets you supply the acidic mix it needs where the ground is limey, and a matched pair at an entry holds a rounded shape with little intervention.

Growing Autumn Ivory Azalea in Australia

Position and climate. Filtered light or morning sun with afternoon shade gives the best flowering and stops the leaves bleaching. It takes more sun in cool temperate gardens than in the subtropics, where afternoon shade is close to essential. Frost hardy once established.

Soil. Acidic, free draining and rich in organic matter. Work compost and aged pine bark through the bed, keep lime away, and mulch 75mm deep. The roots are fine and shallow, so avoid digging around the base.

Water and feed. Never let it dry out completely, especially in a pot. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer and during dry spells afterwards. Feed an azalea and camellia fertiliser after the spring flowering, and again in late summer.

Pruning. Trim straight after the spring flowering. This type sets its autumn buds on the new growth, so pruning late in summer removes the second display.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in one size, tube stock: a young plant, usually a single stem with a few branches, and not in flower. Planted at 80cm spacing a tube grown hedge takes about three years to close, slower than starting with advanced plants but far kinder on the budget for a long run.

Some leaf drop after transit is normal rather than a fault. Water it in well and expect the first real flush of growth within about six weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, under our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the full azalea care guide for feeding, pruning and pest advice.
• Compare varieties in the azalea collection.
• Learn how to lower soil pH if your soil is alkaline.
• See what else suits partial shade.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Eighty centimetres apart in a single row. Each plant reaches about 1.2m wide, so that spacing gives a solid hedge that still has air moving through it, which matters in humid gardens.

Does it really flower twice a year?

Yes, that is the point of the Encore group. Expect a heavy spring flush and a lighter but genuine second display from late summer into autumn, provided you prune straight after spring.

Is it safe around pets?

No. All parts of an azalea are toxic to cats, dogs and horses, and even small amounts can cause vomiting and worse. Avoid it where an animal grazes or chews foliage.