Autumn Lily Encore Azalea

Autumn Lily Encore Azalea (Rhododendron Encore 'Autumn Lily') is the azalea that flowers twice, once in spring and again from late summer through the cooler months. It settles at about 1.2m tall and 1.2m wide, so it fits a border or a large pot without taking over. The blooms are big, white and flecked with pink, and they carry well in the part shade where most flowering shrubs sulk.

Why you'll love it

• Two flowering seasons, not one. The Encore breeding gives a spring flush and a second, longer display from late summer onwards, when most gardens run out of colour.
• Neat, predictable size. About 1.2m each way. It holds a border edge or a pot for years without being cut back off a path.
• Heat and humidity are not a problem. Unlike older azaleas it is bred to hold up through hot, humid summers as well as frosty winters.
• Happy in part shade. Dappled light under established trees suits it, which makes it useful in the parts of a garden that are hardest to plant.

Where it works best

Borders and low informal hedging. Plant 80cm apart for a low informal hedge. Plants meet within two to three seasons and still keep enough air moving through the base to stay healthy.

Pots and courtyards. A container 400mm or wider suits it, and potting gives you control of the acidic mix it prefers. Potted azaleas dry out fast in summer, so plan on watering.

Feature and mass planting. Grouped in threes or fives under high canopy it reads as one drift of flower twice a year.

Growing Autumn Lily Encore Azalea in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade, or morning sun with afternoon protection. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate and subtropical gardens, is frost hardy once established, and tolerates heat and humidity. It is not reliable in the tropics or the arid inland.

Soil. Acidic, free draining and rich in organic matter. On neutral or alkaline ground use an azalea and camellia mix in a raised bed or a pot rather than fighting the soil. Mulch 50mm deep, off the stems, because the roots sit shallow.

Water and feed. Keep the root zone evenly moist through the first two summers and never let a potted plant dry right out. Feed with an azalea and camellia fertiliser after each flush, in mid spring and mid autumn.

Pruning. Tip prune lightly straight after the spring flush to thicken the plant, then leave it alone so you do not remove the buds forming for the second display.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown in a single size: 140mm pots, sold in packs of ten. They arrive as young branched plants around 200mm to 300mm tall, which is the honest picture. It is a slow grower, so expect two to three years to reach a full 1.2m, and plan the pack of ten as a border or a low hedge run.

Azaleas travel well packed upright, though a few dropped buds are normal. They are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full azalea range
• How to make your soil more acidic for azaleas
• More plants that flower in part shade
• Shrubs that hold their shape in containers

Common questions

Does it really flower twice?

Yes. Encore azaleas set buds on new wood as well as old, so you get a spring flush and a second display from late summer into the cooler months. The second flowering is usually the longer of the two.

How far apart should I plant it for a low hedge?

Eighty centimetres apart. Plants meet in two to three seasons, and the gaps in the meantime keep air moving through the base, which matters in humid summers.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. All azaleas and rhododendrons contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to cats, dogs and horses if the leaves or flowers are eaten. Plant it out of reach of a chewing pet, and call a vet if any part is swallowed.