Photo courtesy of Spotswood Greenery
Photo courtesy of Spotswood Greenery
Rhododendron atlanticum
Also known as Azalea atlanticum
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Coastal azalea carries a sweet spiced fragrance strong enough to find the plant from several feet away. Rhododendron atlanticum is a native deciduous azalea growing 2 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 5 feet wide in part shade, hardy from Zone 6 through Zone 8.
White to pale pink trumpet-shaped flowers with prominent red stamens open in early summer, before or as the leaves expand. Bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies come to them through the bloom.
The foliage is blue-green through summer and drops in fall, so this stands bare through winter rather than holding leaves.
Coastal azalea grows wild in the sandy pine barrens and coastal plain of the mid-Atlantic, which is why it handles sandy soil better than most azaleas. It wants acidic ground, pH 4.5 to 6.0, and steady moisture. It spreads by underground runners into a loose colony over time.
Height 2'- 6' Spread 2'- 5'
USDA Hardiness Zones 6-8
Lowest Temperatures -10°F to 0°F
Part shade - 4 to 6 hours of direct sun per day, mostly before midday
DE, GA, MD, NC, NJ, PA, SC, VA
Fragrant
