©Pennystone Gardens
Family
Ericaceae
Botanical Name
Rhododendron arborescens
Plant Common Name
Smooth Azalea, Sweet Azalea
General Description
Perfuming the air with the fragrance of heliotrope, sweet azalea's white to pale pink flowers lend a dainty, pretty look to woodland gardens. A deciduous shrub, it is native across the Appalachian piedmont of the eastern United States, from New York down to Alabama. Wild populations are most commonly found growing near stream banks or within bogs or swamp forests. Its smooth yellow-brown twigs and branches are dense and form an upright, rounded shrub.
The green, lustrous leaves of sweet azalea are smooth edged, almost egg-shaped and appear in spring before the flowers. In fall, the foliage turns shades of bright orange and red. The flowers of this late-blooming azalea may appear in early to late summer, depending on climate. The funnel-shaped blossoms are white to light pink (sometimes with a lavender-blue tint) and borne in groups of three to six. Most striking are the flower’s red stamens and pistil, which resemble cat whiskers, and intoxicating floral scent.
Grow sweet azalea in partial sun to dappled shade, light which one would find in a woodland setting. The soil must be moist, rich in organic matter and have an acid to neutral pH. Seasonal wet soils as well as heat and humidity are tolerated in summer. There is no better shrub for moist woodland settings. Sweet azalea is a summer delight!
Andromedotoxins are present in all parts of rhododendron plants. For more information on health concerns related to andromedotoxins visit: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Rhodosp.htm.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
9 - 4
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USDA Hardiness Zone
5 - 9
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Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
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Plant Type
Shrub
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Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Height
8'-20' / 2.4m - 6.1m
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Width
6'-16' / 1.8m - 4.9m
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Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
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Native To
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States
