Bloom-A-Thon^® Red Reblooming Azalea Rhododendron

Prefers light shade, adequate moisture, and fertile well-drained organic soil. Part sun to dappled shade is ideal and eliminates flower scorch in full summer sun. Prune to shape and fertilize after the first major spring bloom.

Bloom-A-Thon azaleas really do give a minimum of 20 weeks of color. I spent several days with the breeder, Bob Head out of South Carolina, and got an excellent explanation of their performance.

Like other azaleas, they will begin blooming in spring and this flowering period will last several weeks. Once the spring flowers fade, the plant takes a brief rest and by early July, is gearing back up for its summer flowering. The breeder says that it is actually this July-August period that is their true shining moment, and that the display is even more spectacular than the spring one. After the summer bloom, the plant doesn’t take the same rest again, but continues to put out flowers until mid-November, when cold weather has really set in and the days are considerably shorter.

The way to get the best rebloom in summer is to cut back the plants lightly after their spring bloom and to apply a fertilizer formulated for trees and shrubs at this time as well (Espoma Rose Tone or Holly Tone would both be great choices). The more new growth the plants put on during the period between spring and summer bloom times, the greater the repeat performance will be.