Autumn Moonlight Encore Azalea

Rhododendron hybrid ‘Mootum’ PP18416

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-9a Find Your Zone

Shrub Type: Evergreen Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 5′

Width at Maturity: 4′

Spacing: 3-3.5′ apart for solid hedge; 7’+ apart for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding, Upright

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: White

Flower Size: Large, 2.5-3″

Flowering Period: Mid-Spring, Late Summer, Early Fall, Mid-Fall

Flower Type: Semi-Double

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Dark Green, Purple tinted in Winter

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.

Autumn Moonlight Encore Azalea produces an abundance of large and beautiful 3-inch diameter pure-white hose-in-hose blooms with ruffled petals and yellow-dusted centers that bloom in spring, summer, and fall against a backdrop of light green evergreen foliage. The flowers are attractive to butterflies.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing to 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, Autumn Moonlight Encore Azalea is a perfect choice for groupings, mass plantings, mid-size hedges or an accent in landscape borders and home foundation plantings. It is also a fine selection for growing in large 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: 3-3.5 feet apart for solid hedge; 7 feet or more apart for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, 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

We are proud members of the ASA

Plant Long & Prosper!

Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff

Questions? Contact Us!

Autumn Moonlight Encore 1 gallon arrived today…another perfect plant that was expertly packaged for shipping. I have ordered a single gallon, 3-1 gallon and and 6-pack of 1-gallons of a variety of plants and they have all been perfect specimens and expertly packaged…thanks for the care that Wilson Brothers continue to show.———————————————–Thanks so much for the photo! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and 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.—————————————Hope you enjoy them for years to come. Let us know if there’s ever anything else we can help you with. 🙂 – Beth | WBG

Very well established plant. It was confused with warmer late fall and produced amazing flowers in late November. Waiting to see how it blooms in Spring and Summer.———————————–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 purchased 8 azaleas and 4 gardenias to go in my white garden. Then, I planted every blue bulb that I could find. I can’t wait to see my spring garden! The plants arrived very healthy and well packaged. There were enough azalea flowers on the plants to know the color and size of flower is beautiful. The gardenias are with buds and I am looking forward to seeing them this spring.——————————————–Thanks for the kind words! We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

Really happy with both plants. Arrived in good shape and we planted them right away. Both seem to be doing fine. Was a great experience shopping with you and will be a repeat customer. Thank you.————————————————We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review and kind words!! Beth | WBG 🙂

The plants arrived healthy and in excellent condition. They are planted in the yard and growing nicely. I am very pleased with the service and quality.———————-Thanks for the great review! We are so glad you are pleased! Beth | WBG 🙂

My plant from Wilson Bros. arrived quickly and in excellent condition. I have ordered many plants from this company and have never had a problem. The plants are always well packaged, healthy, and ready to put in the ground after acclimating for a few days. I have found several plants through their email messages that I would not have known about otherwise or would not have thought about them for my gardens. The photos are lovely and the descriptions are well written and accurate – great marketing approach! And I especially love the free shipping. I know it’s included in the cost of the plant, but I like knowing upfront how much the order will cost as opposed to finding out just before I’m ready to place an order and inevitably getting an unpleasant surprise at how much the shipping is going to cost. So thank you, Wilson Bros.! —————————- WBG REPLY: Hi Lynne – Thanks so much for all your compliments and for your review of the Autumn Moonlight Encore Azalea. It makes everything we do at Wilson Bros Gardens even more worth the while. We’re always at your service! – Brent | Wilson Bros Gardens

I went on line looking for an company who carried a wide selection of Azaleas and other plants that were suitable for my planting zone. Their selection was amazing and I was able to get just what I wanted. They arrived within the week, packed securely and with no damage. They were actually full of blooms and the perfect size. Their website is so helpful and they carry such a wide selection that I continue to find beautiful plants to order! Next year I’m going to get an earlier jump on my order, so I don’t miss out because something is sold out! I highly recommend Wilson Bros. LCP/AL —————— WBG Reply: Hi Leslie – Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review on the Autumn Moonlight Encore Azalea and we hope you enjoy it for years to come. When you come across a plant on our website that is temporarily unavailable make sure to put your name on the WAITING LIST. That way, when our next batch is available we’ll send you an email notification. Let us know if there’s ever anything else we can help you with. We’re at your service! – Brent | Wilson Bros Gardens

Only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is because the leaves were a little sparse. Otherwise the azalea was very healthy and loaded with buds. Packed very well and FedEx did a good job with the delivery. Will buy again from Wilson Bros Gardens ——————– WBG Reply: Hi Bud – Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review. Regarding the sparse foliage, some varieties of azaleas will drop more of their leaves during winter than others, and Autumn Moonlight is one that does. With less foliage to compete with, I like to think it allows the first cycle of spring blooms to have the stage…and Autumn Moonlight doesn’t disappoint producing loads of blooms! Let us know if there’s ever anything else we can do for you. We’re at your service! – Brent | Wilson Bros Gardens