Introducing the New Autumn Bonfire Encore Azalea

Get to know the newest member of the Encore Azalea family, the Autumn Bonfire!

The Encore Azalea Autumn Bonfire takes a page out of another Encore Azalea’s playbook, the Autumn Fire Encore Azalea, when it comes to their decadently rich, brilliantly true-red, semi-double blooms. However, unlike the Autumn Fire, this azalea is for gardeners looking for a larger, faster-growing azalea. Additionally, the Fire features purple winter foliage, while the Bonfire keeps its emerald green foliage all year long. The Bonfire creates a real presence in the landscape with a mature size of 3’ H x 3.5’ W, and is suited for USDA Zones 6a-10b.

Try it out as a foundation planting; you’ll seldom run out of velvety red blooms during the growing season. As a bonus, bright green leaves will frame your home all year.

The Bonfire makes for a fantastic hedge or border. If it suits you, prune them after their first bloom in spring to keep them uniformly shaped.

Plant them in a large decorative container. Create an elegant display using a large ceramic planter on either side of a walkway. The Bonfire will keep the blooms coming season after season until the onset of winter, welcoming visitors to your home.

Additionally, use them as background structures for perennials and annuals in a garden bed. The Bonfire functions perfectly as a backdrop for perennials and annuals and provides its classic blooms for an additional spectacle.

1. Plant the Bonfire somewhere where it will receive 4-6 hrs of sunlight every day. This will allow for optimal blooming.
2. Test your soil to make sure it has an appropriate acidity for an azalea. A pH of 5.0 – 5.5 is an ideal range.
3. Well-draining soil is essential.
4. Amend soil with compost periodically in the growing season to promote richness.
5. Encore Azaleas thrive when planted somewhere where they are shielded from harsh winds from the south and west. These have a tendency to be the most drying.
6. Space your azaleas appropriately. If you want to have your azaleas bunched together, space them by their mature width. The Bonfire has a mature width of 3.5 feet, so you will need to measure 3.5’ from the center of the first shrub and plant the next azalea there. If you want to have space between them, plant them further away than the mature width.

7. Lastly, don’t fertilize after August. Wait until Spring to start feeding your azaleas again.