Rhododendron Autumn Twist® Encore® Azalea

An Encore® Azalea, Rhododendron Autumn Twist® is an evergreen shrub offering year-round interest, blooming and reblooming from spring through fall, with up to 3 bloom cycles possible every year. And its exotic blooms are worth repeating. The plant's stunning display includes an artsy mix of solid magenta-purple blooms; crisp white blooms highlighted with purple stripes or spots; and blooms with random combinations of both. The bush attracts butterflies and birds.

One of the larger Encore Azaleas, Autumn Twist has vigorous growth and a mounded habit of plump, supple foliage. The fuzzy, elliptically shaped, dark green leaves emerge soft green and have a defined point on the end. This azalea makes an excellent specimen plant, in garden or container. But it's shown to best effect when massed or grouped in the landscape, and its size makes it perfect for an informal hedge.

Cold hardier than most azaleas, Autumn Twist grows and blooms best in sunny locations with 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight or all-day lightly filtered sun. The plant prefers rich, well-draining soil with a slightly acidic pH. Wet soils will eventually cause root rot. The plant benefits from a light mulching around the base and a yearly feeding with a slow-release acidic fertilizer. Planted properly and given adequate air circulation, it is pest and disease resistant.