Rhododendrons

Rhododendron prunifolium

Subgenus Pentanthera Section Pentanthera

Species deciduous azalea

Synonym: The Plum Leaf azalea

Epithet: with leaves like those of a plum

AM 1950 (Windsor) ‘Summer Sunset’; flowers vermillion

 H6

A medium or large, stoloniferous shrub to 4.5m in height; young shoots purplish-red in colour

Flowers: Trusses of 4-5 tubular funnel-shaped, single flowers; 30-35mm long with stamens 55-65mm long; crimson, vermillion, scarlet, red, reddish-orange or orange; with or without an orange blotch

July-September

Not scented

Leaves: Bright or dark green leaves with a pale green underside; oblong-obovate, obovate, elliptic or oblong; 30-125mm long × 15-38mm wide; glabrous not strigose; midrib may be strigose. Deciduous

Distribution: SW Georgia and E Alabama

Other information: Easy to grow; this species needs some shade to prolong the flowers in hot conditions. A useful late flowering addition to any garden. Commercially available

Selected forms include ‘Ted’s Red’ and ‘August Fire’