Don't prune it, just water as needed (stick your finger in the dirt to check dryness). The plant has just dropped those leaves to minimize what it needs to take care of. It's not a concern this late in the season.

Agree, it may have dropped its leaves prematurely (they would normally have fallen soon with the shorter daylight hours and chillier nights) but I doubt those stems are dead after one week. Don't prune.

If the rootball was fairly heavy when you planted it, then it should be OK.

However, if the root ball was light and the plant didn't respond to being watered after planting, the rootball may have dried out. In this case it is best to dig it up and soak the rootball a couple hours to make sure it is wet.

If the rootball is planted dried out, it may not take up water. This is a major killer of new plants.

Rhododendron guru Harold Greer noted: "Quite often a plant will get completely dry and then no matter how much water you apply, the rootball will just keep shedding it. The top of the soil may seem wet, and the soil around the plant may even be very wet, but the actual rootball of the plant is bone dry. This is especially true for newly planted rhododendrons (and azaleas), and it is the major reason for failure, or at least less than great success with that new plant. It is hard to believe that a plant can be within mere inches of a sprinkler that has been running for hours and still be dry, yet it can be SO TRUE!"

Bright orange? Right on! The deciduous orange Azaleas are the only orange I allow in my garden.
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