Azaleas, known for their stunning display of blossoms, are a garden favorite. Traditionally, these plants are associated with spring blooms. However, a unique category of azaleas—summer blooming azaleas—extends the floral delights for garden enthusiasts.
Why Summer Blooming Azaleas?
While spring blooming azaleas can provide a spectacular early-season show, summer blooming varieties add color and vitality to gardens during a season when many other plants may be past their peak. These azaleas can bridge the gap between spring and fall, ensuring that your garden remains vibrant throughout the year.
See our article here on When to Plant Azaleas, and also When Do Azaleas Bloom, for other variety and azalea season ideas!
5 Top Summer Blooming Azaleas
- Encore Azaleas: Arguably the most popular series of reblooming azaleas. They can bloom in spring, summer, and fall. There are over 30 varieties in this series, offering an array of colors.
- Hardiness Zones: 6-10
- Bloom-A-Thon Azaleas: These varieties also re-bloom multiple times from spring to fall. With beautiful and vibrant colors, they are an attractive addition to gardens.
- Hardiness Zones: 6-9
- Plumleaf Azalea (Rhododendron prunifolium): This variety produces beautiful orange-red flowers in mid to late summer. It’s an excellent choice for woodland settings.
- Hardiness Zones: 5-9[1]https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rhododendron-prunifolium/
- Western Azalea (Rhododendron occidentale): Known for its fragrant white or pink blossoms, the Western Azalea is native to the west coast of the United States.
- Hardiness Zones: 7-9
- Swamp Azalea (Rhododendron viscosum): A native to the eastern U.S., the Swamp Azalea produces fragrant flowers, usually white or pink, in late spring to early summer.
- Hardiness Zones: 4-9
The number of summer-blooming azalea varieties is not a fixed number, as breeders continuously introduce new varieties and cultivars to the market. However, when people think of summer blooming azaleas, they often refer to the Encore Azaleas series, mentioned earlier, which boasts over 30 different varieties.
Encore Azaleas are bred to flower more than once a year, usually in the spring and then again in the summer and fall.
Other reblooming azalea series, such as the Bloom-A-Thon, have introduced a few varieties of their own. There are also naturally occurring summer-blooming species like the Plumleaf Azalea and Swamp Azalea in the list above.
Azalea Planting and Care:
- Soil: Azaleas prefer well-draining soil with a slightly acidic pH. If you have clayey or sandy soil, consider amending it with organic matter.
(You may find our article on Coffee Grounds for Plants helpful). - Watering: Water regularly, especially during dry spells. Azaleas have shallow roots, so it’s essential to keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
- Sunlight: Most azaleas, including summer blooming varieties, prefer partial shade but can tolerate a few hours of direct sunlight.
- Pruning: Prune your azaleas soon after they finish blooming. This helps in shaping the plant and encourages bushier growth.
- Protection: In regions with cold winters, protect azaleas with a layer of mulch to keep the roots warm.
See more on where and when to plant azaleas here.
Summer blooming azaleas offer a vibrant and prolonged burst of color during the hottest months of the year. By choosing the right variety and providing them with the care they need, you can ensure that your garden remains lively and colorful throughout the summer season.
Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting, adding summer blooming azaleas to your garden can create a delightful and lasting impact.
Want fragrant orange spring azaleas? Check out our favorite Flame Azaleas!
I’m LeAura Alderson, a garden, herb and plant enthusiast with a passion for discovering the many edible and medicinal benefits of the plants all around us, including the weeds! I’m a writer, editor and media publisher for our family of websites.
While I was certified in fitness and life coaching, I am NOT a health practitioner. However, I’m a lifelong health enthusiast, with a keen interest in healthy, organic foods and making home remedies and the content we share is from our own experience and usage as well as that extracted from scientific research so that you can explore further on your own.
Always seek the advice and guidance of your health practitioners first and foremost.
As a family we’re steadily expanding our gardening, experimentation and knowledge around all things gardening, edible landscaping, fresh organic foods and self sustainability with farming in our future. I also own and manage iCreateDaily.com, a site all about transformation through creation, and the power of positivity, optimism and mindset.
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