Do Encore Azaleas Lose Their Leaves in Winter? What to Expect
Encore azaleas are prized for their ability to rebloom in spring, summer, and fall But do these popular shrubs also retain their foliage in winter? Or do encore azaleas lose their leaves when cold weather hits? As a gardening enthusiast, I’ll explain what to expect so you can enjoy these beauties year-round.
Why Gardeners Love Encore Azaleas
Encore azaleas were specifically bred to provide multiple bloom cycles throughout the growing season Most azalea varieties only flower in spring But encore azaleas can produce flowers from spring through fall frost depending on climate,
There are over 30 encore azalea varieties to choose from in a range of colors, flower forms, and plant sizes. They bloom on both old and new growth. So even after flowering, they can continue producing buds all season long with proper care.
Beyond the spectacular repeat blooms, encore azaleas offer other great features:
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Lush green foliage provides structure and interest when not in bloom.
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Slightly smaller stature perfect for gardens borders, containers.
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Deer and rabbit resistant.
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Tolerates summer heat well.
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Can thrive in full sun to part shade areas.
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Minimal care needed once established.
The Evergreen Nature of Encore Azaleas
One of the top reasons gardeners love encore azaleas is their evergreen habit. Unlike many azalea species, encore azaleas retain most of their foliage year-round.
The foliage ranges from medium to dark green depending on variety. This gives landscapes nice structure during winter dormancy. It also gives the plants a head start on growth and blooms each spring.
Evergreen foliage is definitely one of the standout features of encore azaleas compared to deciduous azaleas. Gardeners don’t have to deal with bare, unattractive branches in winter.
Normal Leaf Drop in Winter and Early Spring
Encore azalea plants hold onto the majority of their foliage through winter. However, some natural leaf drop does occur:
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In late winter and early spring, plants shed older interior leaves as new growth emerges. This is completely normal!
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Lower leaves sometimes drop due to environmental stresses like drought. Proper care prevents excessive drop.
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Occasional leave loss during winter months is normal and not a concern on healthy plants.
As long as plants don’t exhibit excessive leaf drop, the loss of some older leaves is perfectly natural and not a cause for alarm.
Beautiful Winter Foliage Color on Some Varieties
Something unique to encore azaleas is that some varieties put on a foliage color show in fall and winter!
Autumn Amethyst, Autumn Carnation, Autumn Empress, Autumn Fire, Autumn Jewel, Autumn Princess, and Autumn Sundance showcase eye-catching winter leaf hues.
The foliage transforms from green to rich shades of purples, bronzes, and reds during winter months. The striking colors persist until new spring growth emerges.
Highlight winter color by planting these varieties near evergreens like spruce and juniper. Or pair with winter bloomers like camellias.
Proper Care for Healthy Foliage Growth
To encourage lush evergreen foliage on encore azaleas:
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Choose a site with morning sun and afternoon shade in hot climates.
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Plant in rich, acidic, well-draining soil. Improve drainage in heavy clay.
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Mulch around the root zone to maintain cool, moist soil.
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Water thoroughly when top few inches of soil become dry.
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Apply slow-release azalea fertilizer in early spring after blooming.
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Prune immediately after flowering by selectively thinning old branches.
Healthy encore azaleas maintain their foliage with proper site selection, watering, fertilization, and pruning care.
Troubleshooting Leaf Loss Problems
While some leaf drop is normal, excessive loss of leaves can indicate a problem.
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Overwatering – Too much moisture leads to root rot and leaf drop.
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Underwatering – Drought stress causes leaves to dry up and fall off.
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Poor drainage – Waterlogged soil deprives roots of oxygen.
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Root damage from construction or tilling.
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Insufficient acidity – Encores need pH between 4.5-6.0.
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Extreme cold – Foliage can sustain winter damage in very cold climates. Provide winter protection.
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Disease or pests – Fungal diseases or infestations cause leaf loss.
Identify and remedy the underlying cause to restore lush foliage. Seek diagnoses from local extension services if needed.
Enjoy Year-Round Foliage and Flowers
While no plant keeps every leaf forever, encore azaleas are prized for retaining the majority of their rich green foliage through winter. Even when not blooming, they provide nice structure and color. Plus some varieties wow with fantastic winter leaf shows! Give your encore azaleas proper care and you’ll be rewarded with gorgeous green or colorful foliage plus cascading blooms in every season.
While Encore Azaleas keep their leaves all year, they may lose a few sometimes. Here’s why and if you need to take action.
One of the main benefits of Encore Azaleas – beyond their stunning blooms – is their evergreen foliage. All of the Encore varieties keep their foliage year-round as compared to native varieties of azaleas, which are deciduous (meaning they lose foliage in mid- to late-fall and new foliage emerges in late winter to early spring).
Most Encores have medium- to dark-green foliage all year. On occasion, you will see Encore Azaleas with less green foliage – some of the white flowering varieties have lighter green foliage. Fall and winter foliage on some of the varieties – check out Autumn Amethyst®, Autumn Princess® and Autumn Sundance® for example – have purple to bronzy tinges as cooler temperatures and shorter daylengths set in. This foliage color change enhances the look of your Encores in the winter landscape.
As with all types of evergreen plants, Encore Azaleas drop foliage in the late winter and early spring as new foliage emerges. You may also see some natural defoliation of lower growing foliage at other times of the year – this would be contributable to drought or excess moisture stress, low soil fertility (lacking fertilizer) and shading from the upper canopy. Annual fertilization in the spring after flowering (using an azalea food) helps with foliage color. Also, having your azaleas growing in the recommended acid soil helps foliage color and vigor.
These plant combinations will maximize the stunning winter foliage color from Encore Azaleas.
As winter approaches, magic happens all across landscapes in the azalea belt, thanks to Encore Azalea’s winter foliage. Landscape color is what we are all about—we’ve created azaleas that bloom in the spring, summer, fall and many days in between. But, out of the 33 varieties, there are seven that offer you the added bonus of winter leaf color; they debut winter foliage color now in shades of purple, bronze, and red, depending on the variety.
To maximize this time of winter color, consider partnerships of high contrast—colors that are remarkably different— therefore bringing out the best in each other. In other words, what combination of colors would allow these winter brilliant Encore varieties to stand out in the winter?
For ideal combinations, I look to the Southern Living® Plant Collection for a wide array of shrubs, from hollies to cleyera, and even select conifers. Creative garden designers may choose to begin by planting a cluster three of Forever Goldy® Arborvitae. This 10- to 12-foot compact conifer really does offer 24-karat gold-like foliage all year.
The opposite or complementary color of gold is violet or purple. The absolute best partnership with Forever Goldy would be Autumn Amethyst®—giving you a complimentary “wow” when it is in bloom, and again in the winter with its purple foliage. It is intermediate in height reaching 4-foot tall. Autumn Amethyst would also be terrifically partnered with the small golden conifer Night Light™ Chamaecyparis.
The Southern Living Plant Collection also boasts the green- and gold-variegated Golden Oakland™ Holly. It reaches 15- to 20-feet in height, and no matter the color of Encore flower or shade of winter foliage, all would perform as a picturesque partnership.
Five of the seven Encore Azaleas with winter foliage are pink. Three are intermediate varieties, reaching 4-foot plus—Autumn Carnation® with ruffled semi-double flowers, Autumn Empress™ with semi-double flowers and Autumn Jewel® with almost iridescent blossoms.
Each of these, as well as the two dwarf selections – Autumn Princess® with ruffled pink semi-double flowers and Autumn Sundance® with its lavender freckled pink flowers—would look exquisite with Juliet™ or Romeo™ Cleyera. These upright shrubs feature white or buttery golden variegation and reach 8- to 10-feet tall. Each is cold hardy in zones 7-10.
Last, I mention everyone’s favorite color – the rich true red of the velvety, semi-double, dwarf Autumn Fire®. It, too, would look exceptional with every partner mentioned so far, but the Southern Living Plant Collection is large and offers an extremely exotic and lush tropical opportunity with ‘Spider’s Web’ Fatsia.
This fatsia is recommended for zones 7–9 and features large palmate leaves providing a bold texture – one of high contrast with all Encore Azaleas. The leaves display white splashing along with a white stippled look. Place this shrub in fertile, organic-rich azalea soil at the edge of a woodland, and combine it with your favorite Encore Azaleas. This partnership will be one you will photograph for years to come.
How to Care For Encore Azaleas in Winter
FAQ
Do Encore Azaleas turn brown in winter?
However, many azaleas will still lose some of their leaves during cold weather and a few leaves may turn yellow. In temperate climates, brown leaves may be an indication of sun scald from lack of soil moisture.
Do Encore Azaleas stay green all year?
Do azaleas drop their leaves in winter?
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Deciduous Azaleas:These azaleas are like other deciduous trees and shrubs, losing their leaves in the fall and growing new ones in the spring.
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Evergreen Azaleas:While they don’t drop all their leaves like deciduous varieties, evergreen azaleas still shed older leaves throughout the year, especially in the late winter and early spring, when new growth is emerging, says Encore Azalea.
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Winter Leaf Drop:Evergreen azaleas may also experience some leaf drop in the winter due to cold weather, drying winds, or lack of moisture.
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Variety Matters:The amount of leaf drop can vary depending on the azalea variety, with some being more hardy and retaining leaves better in colder climates than others.
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Signs of Winter Damage:Brown, dried leaves on azaleas, especially if they are clinging to the stems, can be a sign of winter damage, according to Southern Living.
Why are my azalea leaves disappearing?
Azaleas are deciduous shrubs, meaning they naturally shed their leaves in response to seasonal changes. This shedding allows the plant to conserve energy during colder months and redirect resources towards root growth.