Sweet Azalea
Rhododendron arborescens
The last native azalea to bloom: intensely fragrant white flowers with red stamens in June and July, then brilliant scarlet fall foliage.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Sep 248 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Sep 258 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Sep 268 AM – 2 PM
The most fragrant native azalea, blooming after every other azalea has finished, with hummingbirds arriving on cue.
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.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown sweet azalea propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 5–10 ft · 5–10 ft wide
- Bloom time
- June–July
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 4–7
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Native range
- Appalachian mountains from Pennsylvania to Alabama along stream banks and mountain slopes
Care notes for sweet azalea.
Moist to wet, acidic soil in part shade to full sun with consistent moisture. Mulch heavily with pine bark or shredded leaves. Slow to establish; water regularly the first two to three seasons. Prune lightly after flowering if needed to shape; this is a slow grower so prune conservatively. Rhododendron-specific acidic fertilizer once a year supports establishment.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside sweet azalea.
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