Gems of the Native Garden
These indigenous azaleas are the gems of the native plant garden. William Bartram described the Flame Azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum) as “This is the most gay and brilliant flowering shrub yet known.” The Flame has yellow to bright orange large trusses from April to July growing up to 12 ‘ this plant makes quite a show in the native landscape.
Pink-shell Azalea (Rhododendron vaseyi) blooms pink and sometimes white on an open and airy plant. Azalea arborescens or Sweet Azalea is incredibly fragrant, as the name suggests. They have fantastic white blooms with yellow blotches and very distinctive red pistils and filaments from April to May.
Swamp Azaleas (R. vicosum) can be found all over the Eastern U.S. It has white fragrant flowers blooming all summer. Also called catch-fly because of the sticky, glandular hair that can catch insects.