Azaleas are ornamental shrubs that typically bring a burst of color to gardens during the spring. Whether these plants bloom more than once a year depends on the specific variety planted. Most traditional azalea types offer a single seasonal display. However, specialized cultivars have been developed to bloom repeatedly throughout the growing season, providing color well beyond the usual springtime window.
The Traditional Annual Bloom
The majority of azaleas follow a single-season flowering pattern rooted in their natural biology. These standard varieties produce their floral display in the early to mid-spring, often lasting only a couple of weeks. Their flowering mechanism relies entirely on the growth from the previous year, known as blooming on “old wood.”
Flower buds for the next spring are formed during the summer and fall months. These buds are set at the tips of the current season’s growth and must endure the winter cold before opening. Pruning these shrubs in the late summer or fall inadvertently removes these developing flower buds, resulting in no bloom the following spring. This single-flush cycle is a defining trait of classic azalea species and hybrids.
Identifying Reblooming Varieties
Specialized reblooming azaleas have been introduced, which have been bred to flower multiple times. Cultivars like the ‘Encore’ and ‘Bloom-A-Thon’ series are the most recognizable examples. These plants produce flower buds on both old wood and new growth, which is the key to their extended performance.
The blooming pattern begins with a heavy flush in the spring, similar to traditional azaleas, using buds set the previous year. Following this initial display, the plant produces new vegetative growth, which quickly develops a second set of flower buds. This mechanism results in a lighter, sporadic rebloom during the summer, followed by another significant flush of flowers in the late summer and fall. This dual-wood blooming ability ensures a much longer period of garden color, often spanning three seasons until the first hard frost.
Care for Repeat Bloomers
Sustaining multiple blooming cycles requires cultural practices that differ from the care given to single-season azaleas. Because reblooming varieties produce buds on new growth throughout the summer, pruning must be done with precision. Gardeners should only prune immediately after the first heavy spring bloom to shape the plant and encourage the new growth that will carry the subsequent summer and fall flowers.
Nutritional Support
These prolonged blooming efforts demand consistent nutritional support. A balanced, slow-release fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants should be applied after the spring bloom to fuel the next rounds of bud development. Maintaining adequate and consistent soil moisture is also necessary, especially during the summer months when the shrub is actively forming and opening its second set of buds.