Where are you located? Is your soil well suited for azaleas? Was it planted too deeply? Or perhaps didn't get enough water after planting?

IMO, that looks more like cultural (growing) issues rather than cold damage.

My azaleas look the same. They were planted May 2016. If you are in Mid-Atlantic region, remember we had an extremely dry fall, more like drought. I tried to water weekly last fall to keep mine watered, but also think I had some deer browsing as well. So, now mine look as bare as yours. I'm hoping a little fertilizer and care this spring and summer will help get mine back in shape.

Thanks all for your help! Gardengal, we are in the greater DC area. They were watered with a sprinkler daily after planting, so I would be more concerned that they received too much water than too little, although it's a fair question!

We live in a woodsy area and do get a lot of deer, but I thought they were supposed to be deer resistant. Is there anything I can do to help protect them from being eaten?

Hi! I am also new to gardening and purchased two azaleas. One looks like yours and the other is fine. I will tell you we had consistent rain last night and the healthy one's blooms opened up significantly more than they looked yesterday. Maybe its underwatering? I'm going to try to water more and see what happens. I'm in west central Florida so a different climate but feel like I learned something today. Good luck!

I live in NE PA (6a) and my evergreen azaleas looked like bare stubby sticks after our voracious deer attacked them last winter. The deer also ate all the leaves off my rhododendron. (We actually saw the rhododendron attack). But all plants came back this spring with healthy new leaves. They are smaller than before, but still healthy.

My azaleas were potted on my front door alcove and I didn't think the deer would be that brazen! The rhodie had been protected last winter by a plant "tent" that had been covered with UV allowing plant cloth. It was doing splendidly until a windy storm ripped the tent off its stakes and blew the tent away. I ordered a new tent that night, but the deer ate the rhodie the next day! I have since ordered longer stakes for next winter!

The previous owner had wrapped all shrubs (except the juniper and the thorny bushes) with bird netting. But, as the bushes grow, they need to get rewrapped because the new growth pokes through. A neighbor of mine has built a wooden frame with chicken wire to protect his garden. Other neighbors just plant junipers and thorny bushes! We have a lot of deer, as my neighborhood is in a hilly, forested area, about 1 mile from a national park. But I love azaleas and rhododendrons!

Milorganite, a low level fertilizer, is said to discourage deer, and spraying with something like Liquid Fence should help as long as you reapply periodically. Otherwise, a real fence 8'-10' tall or a pair of shorter fences 4'-5' tall should keep them out.