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Piedmont Azalea

Rhododendron canescens

The most widespread wild azalea of the Southeast, wreathing damp woodlands in fragrant pink before leaf-out. Spreads to form drifts along stream banks. Like other azaleas, its leaves and pollen should be treated as poisonous.

Family

Ericaceae

Type

shrub

Lifespan

perennial

Height

6–15 ft

Spacing

6–12 ft apart

Light

part shade

Soil moisture

dry

Soil pH

acidic

Bloom

March, April, May

Bloom colors

white, pink

Wildlife value

pollinators, butterflies, hummingbirds, mammals, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~51 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

border, foundation, naturalizing

Native states

AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, IL, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX