Rhododendron, Encore Azalea 'Autumn Empress'

I live in an old home that is surrounded by invasive old time pink azalea bushes. I literally have to fight them to keep them out of my ...Read Moredrive and keep the back yard from closing in. When they get as large as they are in the woods behind my home, they do not bloom well either. I even have a hedge of azaleas along the whole front of my house that will grow so large you cant see my front door if i do not do a serious trim 2-3 times a year. They are a lot of work and have looked in to getting them taken out but the roots go everywhere so too expensive and huge chance they would grow back anyway. So I tried the Encore in May of this year. It didnt do well in full sun most of the day in my front yard/it didnt die but didnt thrive. I moved it to a tire planter in dappled shade because I didnt have time to fiond it a home yet it has never bloomed, until now. I see one bloom on the encore and need to move it and find a place it will thrive. I am thinking it will be a place with morning sun and afternoon shade. Not picky about water at all. Once I get it going, I think it will be beautiful (o:

I planted this mid-summer last year in a fairly dry area of my garden in a temporary location. I knew I wanted this variety and had to ...Read Morebuy it before its intended bed was ready because it was the last Autumn Empress left at my local garden center. I tried to keep it watered in the temp location, but like every other busy summer gardener, I didn't take care of it as well I as I should have. It was wilted more often than it was turgid. I was pretty sure it would be DOA this spring, thanks to the additional stress from the brutal winter we had this year. No matter, though. I transplanted it a few weeks ago and it looks terrific. I wouldn't recommend treating your Autumn Empress as badly as I did last summer, but if you do, the little buggers seem to be rather tolerant of drought and abuse.

I have most of the Encores. This one has finer texture, but taller size. Definitely more upright than spreading. A bit slower to get e...Read Morestablished and 'take off'. Nice pink bloom, medium green foliage.
[ A. Carnival has similar flower and texture, but smaller, more spreading. A. Princess definitely more orange/pink and darker foliage w/ bronze fall color.]

(San Antonio, Tx.)
I have not grown this plant myself, so I must give it a neutral rating. 'Autumn Empress', has an upright, thick...Read More growth habit (4 feet tall and 3 feet wide) with large deep, green leaves. It produces semi-double, deep pink 2.25 inch to 2.75 inch in diameter blooms. It starts to bloom a little later in the spring than do most azaleas. These new patented azaleas bloom approximately every three months (early spring, late spring, early summer, late summer, mid to late fall) until the first hard freeze. Some sources state that they bloom all year long.

It requires full sun with afternoon shade or light shade and well drained, slightly acidic rich soil. Shrubs planted after mid-July should not be fertilized until after the last frost. The developers of this azalea state that it is drought tolerant, but I have to see this to believe it. It is supposed to have a fast growth rate.

This plant sounds so good, I am going to buy one and test it out.