Autumn Bonfire Encore Azalea
Rhododendron ‘Robleza’ ‘Bonfire’ PPIP
Plant Details
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-9b Find Your Zone
Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Shrub
Height at Maturity: 3′
Width at Maturity: 3′
Spacing: 2.5′ for solid hedges; 5’+ for space between plants
Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding, Upright
Growth Rate: Moderate
Flower Color: Glowing True Red
Flower Size: Large, 2.5″
Flowering Period: Mid-Spring, Late Summer, Early Fall, Mid-Fall
Flower Type: Semi-Double
Fragrant Flowers: No
Foliage Color: Dark Green year round
Fragrant Foliage: No
Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun, Morning Sun with Dappled or Afternoon Shade, All Day Filtered Sun, Morning Shade with Evening Sun
Water Needs: Average, lower when established
Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sandy (amended), Silt
Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist
Soil pH: 5.0 – 6.5 (Acid to Slightly Acid)
Maintenance / Care: Low, Average
Attracts: Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Visual Attention
Resistances: Deer Resistance – more info, Drought (when well established), Clay Soil (heavy clay should be amended), Heat, Humidity, Sun
Description
In 1998, the release of the first reblooming Encore Azalea changed the Azalea world forever. Since then, over 30 Encore varieties have been released. When provided enough sunlight (6 or more hours per day) all varieties bloom in spring and then repeat summer into fall.
No picture we’ve taken of Autumn Bonfire does the flower color justice. One of the most brilliant of all Encore Azaleas, Autumn Bonfire will set your landscape on fire with LOADS of 2.5″ deep true-red semi-double flowers in spring, summer, and fall! You have to see it with your own eyes to appreciate the spectacular glowing color. When in bloom, you can see this shrub from 500 yards away. The flowers stand out nicely against a background of deep green leaves that remain green in winter. Autumn Bonfire is one of the more cold hardy as well as heat tolerant varieties of the Encore Azalea Series growing as far north as USDA Hardiness Zone 6a and as far south as 10b.
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide, Autumn Bonfire Encore Azalea is a perfect choice for groupings, mass plantings, low hedges or an accent in landscape borders and home foundation plantings. Its glowing true-red blooms, fast growth rate, and abundance of flowers makes it one of the best Encore selections for growing in larger containers and pots, which can be strategically placed to dress up decks, patios, porches, and other outdoor living spaces. Because they like sun to part shade, Encores do quite well under tall trees and in woodland borders. Butterflies love the flowers, and blooming branches serve very well for cutting to create stunning indoor floral arrangements.
Suggested Spacing: 2.5 feet apart for solid hedges; 5 feet or more apart for space between plants
Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6b, where this Encore Azalea variety is not winter hardy outdoors, you can enjoy it in containers that can be moved indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.
Growing Preferences
We’ve been growing Encore Azaleas in our gardens since they were first released in the 1990’s and can say with confidence that when planted right, and in the right spot, Encore Azaleas are among the easiest azaleas easy to grow.
Soil: When planted in the ground, Encore Azaleas adapt well to most soil types. In general, like all other azaleas, the Encores prefer an organically rich, moist but well-drained acidic soil. Constantly soggy or wet soil is problematic for azaleas. Heavy clay, quick-draining sand, or otherwise poor soils are best amended with organic matter or other soil amendments to provide sufficient nutrients, better soil drainage, and/or moisture retention.
In containers, a 50/50 blend of professional potting mix and potting soil is suggested. Make sure the pot has a hole(s) in the bottom that allow for sufficient drainage. As mentioned above, Encore Azaleas do not like a constantly soggy soil.
Sun: Encore Azaleas will grow in sun or part shade. For best flowering and reblooming, we recommend at least 4 hours or more of direct sunlight per day. All-day lightly filtered sun, such as under tall trees, is okay. In regions that experience very hot summers with intense sunlight, Encore Azaleas might appreciate a break from direct sun during the mid afternoon hours.
Helpful Articles
Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Encore Azaleas
Planting Encore Azaleas
Pruning Encore Azaleas
Fertilizing Encore Azaleas
Watering Encore Azaleas
The Most Cold Tolerant Encore Azaleas
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Plant Long & Prosper!
Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff
Questions? Contact Us!
I needed to replace an old azalea that bit the dust, and local garden store plants were looking pretty ragged with limited color options. I opted to order a new azalea from WBG and it was a solid choice! Plant arrived well packaged without damage and was healthy with strong non-bound up roots. It even was starting to bloom! Now in ground and doing great.————————————————————–Thanks for the kind words and wonderful review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Beautiful plant totally undisturbed roots, and so carefully packaged in the box. But will have to wait see the intensity of the red blooms but looking forward to it very much.—————————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Hi Folks,
Plants arrived in good condition and were planted within an hour. However, I want to make you aware that FedEx delivered the plants to 527 Tidewater Chase Lane NOT my address of 522 Tidewater. Fortunately the residents at 527 were home and brought them over on a two wheeler.
Best Regards.—————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Your selections were great.And high five to the folks who delivered it to the right address! There’s still good people in the world:-) Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Plants arrived in good condition and were planted within an hour. However, I want to make you aware that FedEx delivered the plants to 527 Tidewater Chase Lane NOT my address of 522 Tidewater. Fortunately the residents at 527 were home and brought them over on a two wheeler.
Best Regards.—————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Your selections were great.And high five to the folks who delivered it to the right address! There’s still good people in the world:-) Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Plant arrived healthy, more mature than I expected and is doing great! Shipping was fast! This is one of the few Nurseries who do not charge shipping. That’d why I just made another order, and will continue to be a customer.————————————————————-Thanks so much for your review. Let us know if there’s ever anything we can help you with. 🙂 – Beth | WBG
I want to review about my purchase of the Encore Azalea. It arrived promptly and so healthy and happy looking. I cannot wait for Spring to see it in full bloom!————————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Nice, large plants. They had a rough trip to NEPA, but once I planted and watered them they perked up and are sprouting new leaves. Can’t wait to see them bloom!!—————————————————————We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
I ordered 3 of these along with several other plants. They were all packaged securely and were still moist on arrival. The plants were healthy and are growing great. Just waiting to see some color!———————————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the awesome review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
My plants came really quickly and were packaged better than most plants I receive by mail. Even though I planted them in really hot weather, they had new growth the second week. Love them and can’t wait to see them bloom.——————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I planted it and 5 others around the patio the week after arrival. No flowers, yet, but they will look fabulous from the inside of the house and the lane! I can’t add the extra star until it and the others bloom. I bought 2 of 3 different colors. All still look healthy and some new growth is visible.———————————-We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
So far doing good. Have not bloomed yet. They’re healthy plants.———————————-We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
We ordered two small Encore azaleas: Autumn Bonfire and Autumn Sunburst. Both arrived within the week. Extra care was taken to protect these plants and they arrived in beautiful condition with easy to follow care instructions. For a 1 gallon plant, these are so lush! The leaves are healthy and deep green and the branches are very well balanced- no legginess, bare spots, or browning foliage at all. This is the 2nd time we have ordered from Wilson Bros Gardens and their plants are the healthiest we’ve ever seen from any nursery. We certainly will be ordering from them again and again!——————————————Wow! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and awesome review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
So far, they look very healthy. can’t wait to see them bigger and in full bloom.
Thanks for great service!———————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Thanks for great service!———————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Received the 2 Autumn Bonfire encore azaleas in good condition. Planted them and both are thriving. Haven’t had any new blooms yet but the bushes are green and growing.—————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I received my six encore azaleas and they are so healthy. I’m looking forward to the beautiful blooms that I will have each year. I recommend your company to everyone for I have ordered the last two years from you and my plants are wonderful.———————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review and the kind words! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
This is my first experience with Encore Azaleas and I am looking forward to seeing how it blooms in a sunny location. I am happy to find these smaller varieties of azaleas for my perennial border.——————————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
My order just arrived, wow beautiful Azaleas. Can’t wait to get them planted. Im very pleased. Thanks
Now I must order several more varieties.—————————————Thanks for the kind words! We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
Now I must order several more varieties.—————————————Thanks for the kind words! We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
Arrived on time and in good shape. I can’t wait until it flowers with its big red blooms.————————————We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
Autumn Bonfires arrived in wonderful condition. We planted during 100 degree temperatures, but the healthy plants survived and are sprouting new green leaves. We can’t wait for the fall blooms!————————————————————–We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
This summer has been unusual in the high volume of gardeners and purchasing online. But, my experience with Wilson Bros has been great! The plants arrived carefully packaged (unlike other companies I. have worked with), and the plants were happy and healthy! Many thanks to you, Wilson Bros, for bringing smiles in difficult and challenging days!—————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I ordered this plant about a month ago and it already has three blooms on it. It arrived healthy and well packaged. I am very pleased with the purchase.————————————–Hi Cindy, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Autumn Bonfire Encore Azalea. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens
Beautiful plant. Got it is the ground just before leaving for a trip. Return home in a few days – hoping it is flourishing. —————– WBG Reply: Hi Dillie – Thanks so much for your review of the Autumn Bonfire Encore Azalea and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Let us know if there’s ever anything else we can help you with. We’re at your service! – Brent | Wilson Bros Gardens
Love the Deep Red Flowers. Plant came with lots of Blooms wrapped well for shipping,



















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