Plumleaf Azalea
Rhododendron prunifolium
Vivid orange-red blooms in July and August, later than any other native azalea, right when hummingbirds feed hardest before migration.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
The only native azalea blooming in July and August. orange-red flowers timed precisely for fall hummingbird migration.
Plumleaf azalea is extraordinary for one reason: it blooms in July and August, later than any other native azalea and at a time when hummingbirds are actively feeding before fall migration. The flowers are a vivid orange-red to red, large for a native azalea, with long protruding stamens and a shape that's clearly designed for a long-tongued bird visitor. When a hummingbird works this plant, you understand exactly why the flower looks the way it does. It's endemic to a tiny area of the Flint River drainage in southwestern Georgia, one of the most geographically restricted native plants in eastern North America, growing naturally in cool, moist ravines. In a garden, it needs similar conditions: shade, consistent moisture, and acidic soil. But when those conditions are met, it's one of the most spectacular late-season shrubs available in any nursery, native or otherwise.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown plumleaf 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
- Part sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 6–12 ft · 5–10 ft wide
- Bloom time
- July–August
- Bloom color
- Orange, Red
- USDA zones
- 5–9
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Native range
- Endemic to a small area of southwestern Georgia and adjacent Alabama along ravines and stream banks
Care notes for plumleaf azalea.
Moist, well-drained, acidic soil in part to full shade. Consistent moisture is non-negotiable. Mulch with pine bark. Not for hot, dry, or alkaline sites. Slow to establish; water reliably for the first three years. Prune only to remove dead wood. A challenging but genuinely rewarding plant for the right conditions.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside plumleaf azalea.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.