Have you tried pinching to get fuller growth? Does it get sun in the areas that lack leaves?

Hi Luis,

The plant gets 8 plus hours of sun,.

If I pinch the limbs I will be removing a majority of the leaves. ):

Any other thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

Zone 5 is borderline for most evergreen azaleas. And full, all-day sun is probably also too strong. If your soil is adequately acidic, I'd move to a shadier (maybe half day) location that offers some additional winter protection and with a fast draining but richly organic soil.

It just does not like the conditions it is growing in now.

I concur with gardengal. Most azaleas prefer an understory placement or protection from the full sun during the hottest hours of the day. The stressed plants always look unthrifty and are often infested with lacebugs and other pests common to azaleas.

Azaleas are among the long list of woody plants that respond beautifully to full renovation pruning......cutting the plant all the way to the ground, less than six inches of stumps remaining. FYI.