Sweet Azalea

Rhododendron arborescens

Sweet azalea is the last of the native azaleas to bloom in the Appalachians. opening white to pale pink flowers with long red stamens in June and July after the earlier azalea season has ended. The fragrance is intense and heliotropin-sweet, carrying across a garden on a warm afternoon in a way that stops you mid-step. Hummingbirds come for the long tubular flowers. Clearwing moths hover in the evening. It grows large for a native azalea. up to ten feet tall at maturity. with attractive multi-stem form and glossy, clean green foliage that turns brilliant scarlet in fall. It's naturally a stream bank and cool hollow plant, preferring consistently moist, acidic conditions. When you find the right spot, this is one of the most rewarding native shrubs you can grow. the fragrance alone justifies the space.