Bloom-A-Thon® White Azalea
$77
Rhododendron 'RLH1-3P3' USPP 21,512
Endless bloom in the shade? When faced with a semi-shady area to plant and you want colorful bloom, a first thought may be azalea. A tried-and-true staple, the azalea provides great color but usually only for a short time. To remedy this, Proven Winners set out to create an azalea that exhibits an extended bloom time, along with greater cold and sun tolerance. They hit the mark in 2012 with the introduction of the Bloom-A-Thon Azalea. As the name suggests, this azalea offers a marathon of color, blooming first in spring and then again in mid-summer through frost (that’s like 12 weeks!). It displays some sun tolerance and has shown cold tolerance to zone 6, making it hardier than the Encore. In addition to the extended bloom time, Bloom-A-Thon has good disease resistance and saturated flower color on large blooms.
Bloom-A-Thon White azalea is the smallest of the four Bloom-A-Thon shrubs, maturing to between 2 and 3 feet tall and wide. Perfect for the front of the border, possibly surrounded by pachysandra or interplanted with hellebore or other semi-shade lovers. Its small stature makes it great for a container! In the winter months dress with magnolia leaves and nandina berries for a festive touch.
All Bloom-A-Thon Azaleas are semi-evergreen and lose their inner leaves in winter. Consider interplanting with Cinnamon Girl Distylium or Hoogendorn Holly to provide structure during winter months. For best rebloom, give the shrub an overall light trim after the first bloom is finished. When planting, apply 2-3 inches of mulch for best results.