Native azaleas bloom in the shade garden from early spring to summer depending on their variety. These azaleas vary from their Rhododendron relatives: they’re deciduous, with fine blooms in clusters, are very winter hardy, and The Eastern United States is the main source of these speciesFrom Maine to Florida. One azalea grows wild on the West Coast. Rhododendron occidentaleSome range from Canada through the Midwest, to the South.
Native azaleas create stunning woodland and naturalized displaysParticularly in groups. White to shades of purple, pink, yellow, apricot gold, orange and red. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees are attracted to the fragrant, early flowers. While some species are low-growing, most grow upright with an open, vase-shaped form – a sculptural element in the understory. Native azaleas can be grown in pots and also as houseplants.
Rhododendron It is derived from the Greek Rhodo, or “rose”, and dendron, or “tree.” There are over 17 species of native azaleas, with numerous cultivars. All parts of native Azaleas, including their beautiful color, scent, and shape, are poisonous if eaten by humans or animals.
Florida Flame
The ‘Florida Flame’ azalea lives up to its name with dense clusters of blooms in yellow, gold, orange, and red. Flowers are fragrant in April and early May, before leaves fully open. ‘Florida Flame’ is One of the most spectacular native azaleasTubular blooms are a great way to brighten shady spots in the garden. Tubular blooms are characterized by very long stamens. However, their most distinctive feature is the bright yellow to orange and scarlet-orange flowers.
Florida azaleas grow in full sun, where they’re more rounded in form, to partial shade, with a more upright habit. The azaleas are native to lower southern United States. They thrive in heat and make ideal specimens for summer gardens.
In hot climates, give ‘Florida Flamel dappled light or partial shade and protection from the afternoon sun so flowers and leaves don’t scorch. It thrives in acidic, moist soils that are well-drained and have good drainage. Once established, it is drought-tolerant.
Cultivars include ‘Firecracker’, with bold orange blooms, and ‘Millie Mac’, with blooms in white, yellow, and orange. Petals can have white edges with gold centers and peachy pink stamens.
Sweets
Sweet azaleas bloom from June through July. They have white tubular blossoms that are surrounded by deep green leaves. Flowers have a sweet fruity scent. Red stamens punctuate flower centers. The foliage of this azalea turns purple to red in the fall.
Sweet azaleas grow quickly and large, with an average height of 8-12 feet. They are cold hardy down to USDA zone 4 but don’t tolerate hot summer climates (above zone 7). Sweet azaleas are found along stream banks, and require consistently moist soils that drain well.
The cultivar ‘Hot Ginger and Dynamite’ features Large, fragrant white flowers. ‘Lisa’s Gold’ bears clusters of pale yellow to gold honeysuckle flowers with a sweet perfume and foliage that turns yellow in fall.
Pinxterbloom
Pinxterbloom has delicate white, pink, and lavender blooms. The flowers are fragrant and appear from April to May. Just before the elliptical leaves appear.
This shrub prefers a dense understory in regions with hot summers. Pinxterbloom will tolerate full sunlight in cooler climates, provided the soil is adequately moist. It is found in damp woodlands and near swamps in Massachusetts, South Carolina, and other open areas.
Pinxterbloom grows densely and horizontally, with graceful branching. It tolerates sandy soils and a relatively dry site. Partial sunlight helps it to avoid becoming leggy. Pink clouds are created by the spring blooms.
Flame
Flame Azaleas are characterized by vibrant and warm shades in both spring and autumn. Flowers in vibrant shades of yellow and orange appear from late May through early June. In the fall, the leaves turn red. While flowers aren’t fragrant, they’re showy, two inches long in loose trusses (flower clusters at the tip of a branch) of five to ten flowers.
The sweet azalea is a good example. flame azaleas don’t tolerate high heatAs well as native species. They’ll need consistent moisture in sunnier spots and prefer dappled light or open shade with well-draining soils.
Flame azalea has a variety of bloom colors, and its upright branching structure makes it incredibly ornamental. It is also the parent plant for many different cultivars. R. calendulaceum ‘Cherokee’ boasts apricot blooms with long, yellow stamens, while ‘Chattooga’ is pink with a yellow blotch. ‘Golden Sunset Flame’ features large yellow flowers with a gold blotch.
Piedmont
Piedmont (or mountain azalea) is one of the first native azaleas in bloom. Pale pink blooms with 5 to 9 honeysuckle-like flowers per cluster appear in abundance from March or early April. Plants Typically reach 6 to 8 feet with an open vase-shaped habit.
Piedmont azalea colonizes quickly and is the most common azalea native to the Southeast. It is also easily hybridized with other azaleas. Its range originally stretches from North Carolina through Florida to Texas.
Mountain Azalea has a bark that is a mix of gray and reddish. The leaves turn deep-red in the fall. The leaves of spring and summer are velvety, with a gray-green underside.
‘Camilla’s Blush’ is a selection with domes of delicate pink blossoms on plants that reach eight feet tall. ‘Varnadoes Phlox Pink’ is a robust bloomer with pale to dark pink bloom clusters for a showy spring display.
Coastal
The coastal azalea grows compactly, reaching a height of two to three feet. In mid-May through April, fragrant white blooms with a blush of pink are released, along with fresh leaves.
These azaleas, which are native to coastal areas from New Jersey to Georgia, can survive in zones 5 and 6. Cool climates: The azaleas of the coast grow best in full sun. In sunny locations, provide a good amount of moisture (and the well-drained, azalea-friendly soil).
Containers are a great way to grow coastal azaleas indoors or outdoors. It’s prized and cultivated for its strong, musky fragrance. The coastal azaleas are tough and easy to grow. They look great in walkways and borders, where you can enjoy the fragrance and beautiful blooms.
Swamp
Swamp Azaleas are unique in native azaleas due to their late flowering, ability to withstand cold temperatures, and tolerance for moist, boggy conditions. The pinkish-white, clove-scented flowers bloom from June to July.
The Swamp Azalea is a winter-hardy plant with a wide native range, extending from Maine to Ohio to Florida and Alabama. They are found in swamps, bogs and stream banks. While they tolerate moisture and periods of flooding, they don’t tolerate long periods of submerged roots.
With their showy and fragrant flowers, Swamp azaleas add fall color. Before dropping, leaves change from gold to orange then to purple.
Roseshell
The roseshell azaleas are a delight to the garden in early spring with their rich, pink flowers that are intensely fragrant. Flowers carry a delicious cinnamon clove scent. The leaves are bright green and showy in fall colors of yellow or bronze.
From Quebec to New England and the Midwest, roseshells can be found growing in the wild. it’s one of the hardiest of the bunch. The roseshell Azalea, a beautiful choice for colder climates, struggles to survive in southern summers.
The University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum has hybridized R. Prinophyllum to create the award-winning ‘Northern Lights’ deciduous azalea series. Plants in this series have winter-hardy buds that range from orange to pink.
Alabama
The low-growing native Azalea is on the list for its pure white petals that have a yellow blotch. Its spicy lemon scent also makes it a winner. The flowers are large and appear in clusters from six to ten blossoms before the foliage leaves out.
The Alabama azalea is a native of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. It thrives in hot climates with sandy, dry soils (tolerates more dryness than native species). It grows taller when planted in gardens where the soil is richer.
Enjoy Alabama azalea’s delightful fragrance and snowy bloom in intimate garden spaces and along walkways.
Final Thoughts:
You can choose native azaleas if you have shade or dappled light in your garden. There are many cultivars with different colors and sizes, and some with disease resistance. The key to growing azaleas is choosing the right soil and site.
The spring to summer flower displays of these plants brighten up woodland gardens while adding fragrance and attracting bees. They are well-suited to local growing conditions. Native azaleas are a beautiful, natural addition to any garden. In areas where they’re not hardy, grow native azaleas in containers and overwinter them indoors.