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Azalea & Rhododendron

Encore Azaleas ?

15 years ago

I love Encore Azaleas but they are very pricey. Does anyone know if I were to root clippings from Encore Azaleas would they stay encores or revert back to an earlier azalea which only blooms once a year?

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Comments (10)

jay_7bsc
15 years ago
Aren't the Encore azaleas patented? If so, I believe American patent laws prohibit the asexual propagation of these azaleas. Encore azaleas are routinely available at Home Depot and Lowe's at reasonable prices.
caminnc
Original Author
15 years ago
Ohhh, thumping on head, what was I thinking, give credit where credit is due! I have seen the price from 12-32 dollars each for Encore. I am use to paying 5 tops for any azaleas other than encore. I love Encore so I guess I will pay the price althought I think the range is a bit much. My grandmother tought me how to root azaleas in 1955, who knew?
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Yes: Roots aren't meant to be damaged. They aren't even very cold-tolerant, relative to the top of the same plant, with root damage to potted stock sitting above the ground occurring at about 20 degrees F. higher temperature than the tops. Balling in burlap and bare-rooting kill most of the small roots, that is why top growth is stunted the first year after these are transplanted. The roots run the show, if something happens to the roots the top has to wait until these recover before it can carry on as before. With container stock you are supposed to be able to slip the plant out of the pot and into the ground with little root damage. However, in practice growers generate much rootbound stock, making it necessary for the serious gardener to wash these of soil and inspect the roots for defects, correct them at planting time. Most stock I look at here has signs of having been left in a small container too long. This includes container-grown broad-leaved evergreens. I seldom buy camellias form local garden centers as the two giant California growers that supply nearly all of the material offered here are very consistent about sending up terribly rootbound camellias. I have even seen 5 gallon stock with a small square of roots on top of the potting medium, in full view and indicating the plant sat in a square pot for a (too) long time when small. Rhododendrons, azaleas and other heath family shrubs are a problem because their fine, dense sod-like roots do not lend themselves to bare-rooting very much.
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Does anyone grow Encore Azaleas in full sun?
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I hate to be a downer on both of the plants you've asked about, but I've never had luck with Encore azaleas. I'm pretty sure you're supposed to be able to grow them in more sun than regular azaleas, but 7+ hours might be too much. I tried 2 or 3 and they all ended up looking sickly. My mother has one she likes, because of the blooms, but the plant itself is sickly looking also. If you like pink, a good alternative would be a Pink Drift rose. I started seeing them around town last year, so I added three to my own yard this year. I found a picture Roselee previously posted that's pretty accurate. Pink Drift
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Hi! I had the same troubles. Your picture looked like my original picture. My Encore Azalea would have more blooms than leaves. I had several azaleas struggling. I thought I just didn't know how to grow azaleas. I used Black Kow fertilizer, and that did help. It wasn't until I bought Azalea fertilizer by Fertilome that I noticed a huge difference. My plants then started to flourish! Leaves are plentiful now. I fertilize twice a year. I never used fertilizer on anything but I do believe there are some plants that really need it. Good luck!
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Did I get the wrong Encore azalea?
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There is certainly an advantage to the suggestion of buying plants only when they are blooming. I am glad that HD made you an acceptable offer and am glad that the plant is a rebloomer. I once bought a rose that blooms only once a year (so it is not a rebloomer) and I purchased it while it was not blooming. Weeeell, I had the same issue as you did but the nursery did nothing because I did not contact them "early enough" (I had to wait until Spring of the next year to see that the blooms were the wrong color). Not even a discount on future purchases. Oh well. Live and learn... I learned to be more cautious with shrubs that bloom only once a year or that are not blooming until after the plant nursery's warranty expires. Enjoy your Rouges and Sunsets. I have an Autumn Royalty. I considered some of the orange-y ones but had a hard time finding a good spot for the orange blooms, which is how I ended with AR instead.
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jay_7bsc
15 years ago
One nice thing about the gallon-sized Encore azaleas that I've found at Lowe's and Home Depot is that the containers will frequently have two or three plants in them. The plants can be separated, and that cuts down on the overall price.
bluespiritartist
15 years ago
Are these Encore azaleas rebloomers? I just read about one blooming more than once a year...never heard of that! What colors come with Encore? So much for me to learn!!!
jeff_al
15 years ago
yes, encores bloom in spring and fall but they won't be hardy for you in zone 5. do a web search for "encore azaleas" and you will find their homepage. many selections are available now.
caminnc
Original Author
15 years ago
Yes, they bloom 3 times a year. spring, June and fall. They can also withstand a little more sun than other azaleas. They are wonderful and come in many colors.
suel41452
15 years ago
bluespiritartist - I live in zone 6b/7a, and they only bloom well in spring for me, and just a little bit once later near fall. After a harsh winter, some of mine have died off quite a bit here, so I wouldn't try any but the hardiest variety if you feel adventurous. Some are advertised as much more hardy than others, but I doubt they would work in zone 5 or have any rebloom. Sorry!!!
rhodyman
15 years ago
Encore azaleas are all bred to be rebloomers. The first bloom on old wood and then bloom on new wood. There is usually a gap between the 2 series of blooms. If you buy a patented plant and it divides by self layering or whatever you don't have to kill one of the plants. But you can't sell it without paying the license fee. They are not grafted, so they will come true if they divide vegetatively.
mori1
15 years ago
I'm glad I found this, I was planning on getting one but after reading this and what else was posted on the web, I'm thinking no. I thought I had read somewhere they producing more cold hardy one. So I got excited when I saw it at Lowes but the best they could do was zone 6.
rhodyman
15 years ago
The Portland Chapter of the ARS has an Encore test garden just inside the fence at Crystal Springs Garden/Park in Portland, Oregon, across from Reed College. Portland is a mild climate. Some of the encores do well, some do poorly. They haven't completed the evaluation yet. It will be interesting to see what they find. I will try to get the results and post them when they are ready.

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