Images Depict Mature Plants
Recommended Add-Ons
Azalea Autumn Twist for Sale Online
Autumn Twist Encore Azalea provides year-round interest in the landscape with its deep pinkish-purple blooms lasting spring into fall and it's dark green evergreen foliage that takes on purplish hues in the winter.
Azalea Autumn Twist Shrubs are one of the most cold-hardy Encore Azaleas and reach 4 feet in height and width. Having a medium growth rate, this repeat bloomer makes a great foundation plant. This new variety possesses a unique blooming time and is superior in development. A site sloping to the north or east is usually best because it is less subjected to rapid temperature changes in late fall or early spring; needs wind protection. Filtered sunlight is ideal, but morning sunlight is best; plants may survive continuous shade if trees have branches pruned high. Protection from the afternoon sun may also be given by fences, shrubbery, or screens. After flowering, new shoots appear and develop additional flower buds, resulting in both a summer (late July) and a fall bloom (sometimes to frost).
| Hardiness Zone: | 5-9 |
|---|---|
| Mature Height: | 4 feet |
| Mature Width: | 4 feet |
| Classification: | Upright, Broad leaved evergreen shrub |
| Sunlight: | Part Shade to filtered sun |
| Habit: | Upright |
| Foliage: | Dark Green turning purple in winter |
| Flower Color: | Purple, single |
| Pruning Season: | Pruning not needed |
| Soil Condition: | Any well drained soil |
| Water Requirements: | Water well until established |
| Uses: | Extremely attractive when used as in the mixed border, or containers |
How to Care for Autumn Twist Encore Azalea
Before you bring your Autumn Twist Azalea home, make sure to read our recommended care instructions to ensure your plant stays happy and healthy for years to come!
Autumn Azalea Shrubs bloom multiple times throughout the year, so you want to make sure and fertilize at optimal times to feed your azalea right when it needs it and no more. We recommend fertilizing either at the first signs of spring or right after the spring cycle of blooms is complete. It's better to fertilize earlier in the year than later, even though the Majesty Azaleas will bloom again for you in the fall since they are sensitive when it comes to fertilizer. They like their soil to have some acidity, and they benefit from fertilizers that provide just the right balance of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.
How Often Should I Water My Azalea Shrub?
Azaleas prefer a well-hydrated environment, but they cannot sit in water for long periods. Water that does not drain away will cause root rot. Depending on how quickly or slowly your soil drains water will determine how frequently you should water your Azalea, as well as sun exposure and seasonal heat. When you first plant your azalea, give the ground a long, healthy watering. Then, for the next few days, check the soil daily to see how quickly or slowly it begins to feel dry. When the top inch of the soil (about the length to your first knuckle) is dry to the touch, then water for a 5-second count for each gallon-size your plant arrived. A 3-gallon pot will need a 15-second count when watering, etc. This way you can keep your azalea happy and avoid the risks of overwatering.
Should I Mulch My Autumn Twist Azalea Shrub?
We highly recommend that you mulch your Autumn Twist Azalea Shrubs with either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Any type of mulch will do but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown. Mulching helps to keep weeds away which will compete with your new investment for water and nutrients. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch is sufficient but remember to take care not to cover any part of the stem of the plant with mulch. It's better to leave a one inch gap of space between the mulch and the stem or trunk of the plant. This is also a plant that will respond well to mulching with pine needles (if available in your area). This will help maintain the acidic condition that Autumn Azalea Shrubs thrive in.
What is the Right Sun Exposure for my Azalea?
Autumn Azaleas bloom in the spring and again in the fall, but having the proper sun exposure for your azaleas will ensure that all of their bloom cycles are full and spectacular. While they can handle full sun and will be OK in partial shade, making sure they get about 4 to 6 hours of sun will help encourage those iconic fluffy fuchsia blossoms multiple times in the year. That means they are in morning light on a north-facing wall or in the filtered shade on a south or west-facing garden would work. East-facing landscapes will often provide the softest balance of light, depending on where you live.
Additional Information
History and introduction of Encore Azaleas:
Invented by plant breeder Robert E. "Buddy" Lee of Independence, La., the evergreen Encore® Azaleas enjoy more sun than traditional azaleas, but offer the same easy care. Lee first envisioned Encore Azaleas in the early 1980's when he found a tray of azalea cuttings blooming in the summer sun at his small Louisiana azalea nursery. Inspired, he began crossing traditional spring-blooming azaleas with the rare Taiwanese summer-blooming azalea, Rhododendron oldhamii. Robert E. “Buddy” Lee is the Director of Plant Innovations at Plant Development Services, Inc. Buddy is one of the most respected plant breeders and horticulturists in North America, with over 30 years’ experience in nursery management, breeding, propagation and new plant development. Buddy is one of the most respected plant breeders and horticulturalists in North America, with over 30 years’ experience in nursery management, breeding, propagation and new plant development. He is active in numerous organizations, including the Azalea Society of America, the International Plant Propagators Society, and the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association. In 2000, the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association recognized Buddy Lee’s significant contribution to the industry by presenting him with a Professional Achievement Award; and in 2007, the Azalea Society of America awarded him the Society’s Distinguished Service Award.
