COMMON NAME: Autumn Kiss® Encore Azalea

GARDEN SIZE: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide

GROWTH RATE: Moderate

USDA ZONE: 6-10

EXPOSURE: Full sun to part shade

WATER & SOIL: Keep soil moist but well-drained (no wet feet); prefers humus-rich, acidic soil. Avoid heavy clay.

HABIT (FORM): Compact, rounded, well-branched

FOLIAGE: Evergreen; glossy green

FLOWERS: Semi-double, bicolor blooms (rosy pink and blush tones), ~3" across; blooms in spring, summer, and fall

PLANT ORIGIN: Asia

WILDLIFE SUPPORT: May provide some nesting sites and shelter for birds and small mammals, but does not serve as much of a host for local insects and wildlife. May provide food for insects in the spring.

FERTILIZING: Apply a fertilizer for acid-loving plants in the early spring.

PRUNING: Remove spent flower clusters immediately after the blooms finish. Pruning is not usually needed or recommended, but may be done right after blooming is finished in late spring or early summer.

TOXICITY FLAGS: Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.

USES: Hedge, Foundation planting, Specimen