Azaleas That Bloom Multiple Times a Year

Cultivars

• Many azalea cultivars bloom once in spring and maintain their flowers only into early summer. Some specialty cultivars, such as Encore azaleas, bloom in spring, summer and fall. Azaleas grow in deciduous and evergreen varieties and may hold their foliage through winter but bloom only during the warm season.

Season

• Azaleas require the right seasons for growth and blooming. Plant them in the spring after last frost in all areas of the country. Plant in fall, before the first frost, in warm areas like U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 10 and 11 where temperatures rarely drop below 30 degrees.

Site and Sun

• Azaleas grow in full to partial sun, depending on the hardiness zone and always need at least some light for blooming. Plant azaleas in even, quick-draining sites with plenty of space. Give them full sunshine in zones 8 and lower where temperatures are cooler, and partial, filtered or indirect sun in zones 9 and up. Azalea blooms may burn and wilt in too much bright sun in hot areas.

Soil, Nutrition, Water

• Azaleas do best in rich, highly acidic soil and bear bright blooms with the right plantings. The University of Missouri Extension suggests digging into the top 18 inches of soil in any planting site to encourage a loose, quick-draining foundation. Mix 9 inches of organic compost, ground pine bark, leaf mold or coarse sand into the natural soil, giving the bush nutrition and drainage. Water azaleas with 2 inches of water every week. Feeding the bushes with azalea-specific fertilizer in the spring encourages new growth and blooming every year.