Depending on where you purchase your Encore Azaleas, they may be available in 1-gallon, 3-gallon or 5-gallon nursery containers. The 1-gallon plants are 9- to 12-months younger than 3-gallon plants, and will take the longest to reach full size (6 to 7 years). If you purchase large 7-gallon plants, these have been growing 3 to 4 years at the nursery and will take another 3 to 4 years to reach a mature look in the landscape.
How Big do Encore Azaleas Grow?
Encore Azaleas can be classified into two main size categories based on growth habits:
- Dwarf Encore Azaleas: These varieties grow more slowly and typically reach 2-3 feet in height with a spread of 3-4 feet. Due to their smaller size, they are ideal for containers, small hedges, shrub borders, or as accent plants. They can also be planted in mass for a striking visual effect in smaller garden spaces.
- Intermediate Encore Azaleas: These varieties have a moderate to fast growth rate and generally grow to 4-5 feet in height with a spread of 3-4 feet. They are often used as background plants in the landscape, larger privacy hedges, or as dramatic focal points within the garden.
Providing ideal conditions for your Encore Azaleas will ensure they reach their growth potential more quickly. The quality of the landscape soil, its pH (should be 5.5), the amount of fertilizer applied, and environmental stress (excessive rain, too hot, too dry) are all determining factors. Landscape beds should be raised, well-drained and contain organic matter. Apply an azalea fertilizer to your Encore Azaleas at the recommended rate annually in the spring after the first bloom cycle is completed. Plants in shade may grow taller than plants growing in the sun. Encore Azaleas will “stretch their stem growth upward” to try to get more sun exposure when they are grown in more than lightly-shaded conditions.
