Rhododendrons

Rhododendron periclymenoides

Subgenus Pentanthera Section Pentanthera

Species deciduous azalea

Synonym:  Rhododendron nudiflorum; pinxterbloom azalea

Epithet: Like honeysuckle

H6

A shrub 0.6-3m in height, can grow into a small tree up to 5m in the wild; sometimes stoloniferous

Flowers: Trusses of 6-15 tubular funnel-shaped, single flowers, opening before or with the leaves. Flowers are 26-35mm long and up to 39mm wide; white, pale pink, pinkish purple or pink; no blotch; 5 long curved stamens

May

Scented

Leaves: Bright green, elliptic, obovate or oblong leaves; 30-110mm long × 13-35mm wide; margin strigose; midrib densely pubescent; both sides and midrib may or may not be strigose. Deciduous

Distribution: Appalachian Mountains, from Massachusetts to North Carolina, Ohio, New York and Vermont, E Kentucky, E Tennessee, N Alabama, N Georgia from sea level to 1150m

Other Information: Its common name is derived from the Dutch for Pentecost (pinxter),as the seventh Sunday after Easter is its normal flowering time

This relatively low growing species azalea is easy to grow, will tolerate shade and both moist and slightly dry conditions. It has better resistance to some of the insect and disease problems that can trouble other azaleas and rhododendrons; commercially available