The Ericaceae family includes the heaths, heathers, cranberries, blueberries, mountain laurels, Japanese andromeda (pieris) and other ornamental plants. According to botanists, there are not enough botanical differences between the two to classify them as two separate species. Cookies, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. (Image courtesy Gerald Klingaman.) across (2.5 cm), with delicate pink mottling at their edges. Azaleas are a flowering shrub that is part of the rhododendron family. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas. It is a must have for the scented garden. Mixed with herbaceous perennials or combined with other small woody plants, they help create a … • Setting the garden ablaze, multiple award-winning Rhododendron 'Gibraltar' is a medium-sized deciduous azalea which produces incredibly eye-catching ball-shaped trusses of 10 to 12 flowers. Rhododendron 'April Rose'. Ligh t: Rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias all prefer three–four hours of direct sunlight in … Fragrant. Azaleas bushes are members of the Rhododendron family. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. This family dates back some seventy million years, allowing for a great deal of evolutionary diversity. Noted for its lavender-blue spring flowers, Rhododendron 'Blue Tit' is a compact, mounding, dense, evergreen shrub producing incredibly eye-catching flower clusters. In general, an Azalea bush is smaller in height, leaves, and blooms. Azaleas and Rhododendrons are highly popular ornamental shrubs that can be very impressive in the rock garden. Genus name comes from the Greek words rhodo meaning rose and dendron meaning tree. Azalea shrubs are actually small-flowered rhododendrons, and they stand out in spring thanks to their beautiful bright and colorful bloom. Compact and luminous, Rhododendron 'Goldkrone' is a lovely evergreen shrub producing eye-catching trusses of 16 to 18 light golden-yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers, up to 2.5 in. In late spring to early summer, 'English Roseum' graces the garden with its profuse, large, dome-shaped clusters of 8 to 10, trumpet-shaped, lilac rose flowers with delicate orange freckles. Deciduous Azalea Varieties. Wildlife Value: Members of the genus Rhododendron support the following specialized bee: Andrena (Andrena) cornelli. Blooming in early to mid spring, this Rhododendron hybrid bears an abundance of trumpet-shaped pure white flowers, slightly speckled pink and green within, and emitting a spicy perfume. Most Azaleas are deciduous, meaning they will lose their leaves in the fall. The genus Rhododendron has about a thousand different species. Prized for its tolerance to sun, cold and humidity, Rhododendron 'English Roseum' is a dense and showy evergreen shrub. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. Rhododendrons and Azaleas are shrubs for all seasons. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. Part of the rhododendron family, the azalea is one of two different groups in this category. Rhododendron 'Christmas Cheer'. Regarded as one of the most fragrant deciduous Azaleas, Rhododendron 'Fragrant Star' is a pretty addition to the mid spring garden with its masses of very strongly scented, funnel-shaped, pure white flowers, up to 1.5 in. Gray) A. Azaleas are part of the heath plant group, like camellia. It sheds its leaves in the fall. Azaleas Are Rhododendrons All azaleas are now placed in the genus Rhododendron, which are in the Ericaceae or heath family. Regarded as one of the most fragrant Rhododendrons, 'Fragrantissimum' is a medium-sized evergreen shrub of great beauty. To use the website as intended please  Your IP: 101.53.158.113 There is not a definitive way to tell the difference, however here are some characteristics to be able to tell the difference. Slightly fragrant and exceptionally cold hardy, Rhododendron 'April Rose' is prized for its early spring blooms. Please enable Cookies and reload the page. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Rhododendrons are susceptible to insect and disease problems. The Rhododendron plant is an evergreen. Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. & A. It … Other members of the heath family include heaths, heathers, blueberries, mountain lau-rel, and andromeda (Pieris). While azaleas do not continue to bloom in the winter, or even have leaves that can survive the winter as do rhododendrons, if properly winterized, azaleas can simply become dormant during the cold winter months and bloom back to life in spring. This ... Rhododendron 'Blue Tit'. Gray (roe-doe-DEN-dron ahk-sih-den-TAY-lee) Names: Occidentale means western; so Rhododendron occidentale, literally means, “western rose-tree.” It is sometimes called Pacific Azalea or California Azalea. The Azalea Society offers membership to anyone with an interest in azaleas, from home gardeners, collectors and students to plant professionals. Lighting up the dull days of winter, Rhododendron 'Christmas Cheer' is a remarkable sight when in full bloom from late winter to early spring. Neither the nature of the corolla (ring of petals) nor other characteristics are sufficiently constant to serve as a means of separating these plants into two distinct genera, although azaleas are typically deciduous while rhododendrons are evergreen. Azalea, certain species of Rhododendron, of the family Ericaceae, formerly given the generic name Azalea. Join now and start creating your dream garden! Rich of a delightful fragrance, Rhododendron 'Daviesii' is a beautiful, compact, deciduous azalea producing elegant, funnel-shaped, creamy-white flowers with a yellow flare. We hope this will encourage you to explore all that the genus Rhododendron (which includes azaleas) has to offer, and you will include these wonderful plants in your garden. Additionally, both of these shrubs prefer filtered light or afternoon shade. Bonsai. wide (7 cm), delicately freckled with reddish brown on their upper lobes. Azaleas: Rhododendron 'Delaware Valley White' - white flowers, with ten stamens per flower (atypical for an Azalea), to 3' tall and wide, a Glenn Dale Hybrid, zone 6 Rhododendron 'Gibraltar' - ruffled orange flowers, to 8' tall by 6' wide, a Knaphill Hybrid (but often incorrectly listed as an Exbury Hybrid), zone 5 Azalea and Rhododendron Culture Both azaleas and rhododendrons belong to the genus Rhododendron, which is in the Ericaceae or heath family. Note this is the default cart. Beautiful Azaleas and Rhododendrons for Rock Gardens. There are two distinct types: evergreen Azaleas (or Japanese azaleas) and deciduous Azaleas. Botanical Classification Rhododendrons and azaleas belong to the genus Rhododendron of the Ericaceae family. Carolina Native Nursery is in the business of growing native azaleas. They are part of the family Ericaceae. Azaleas and Rhododendrons are both referring to different varieties of Rhododendron. Both types are members of the Rhododendron family. Why some get a common name (like Azalea) and some still go by the species name (Rhododendron), I’m not sure. Now, azalea has become more of a … Blooming in early to mid spring, it displays an abundance of ball-shaped trusses each counting up to 6 brilliant scarlet red flowers with dark crimson throats. The Garden displays over 2000 specimens of rhododendrons, encompassing 44 species and a wide sampling of hybrid cultivars. Local chapters have social activities, garden tours, meetings and plant sales of unusual varieties. Cultural needs of plants in the heath family are all somewhat similar. wide (3-4 cm). Azalea, Texas Gulf Coast. Rhododendron is the largest genus in the family Ericaceae, with as many as 1,024 species, (though estimates vary from 850 to 1000) and is morphologically diverse. Rhododendron is a large genus with over 800 species. They are also part of the Rhododendron family but are not all evergreen. In spring, their spectacular and showy flowers produce such an incredible display that they are among the most popular garden shrubs. Azaleas are an extremely common and popular type of flowering bush. Rhododendrons and azaleas both belong to the same Family, which is called Ericaceae (or Heath Family). Like most members of this family, azaleas and rhododendron thrive in acidic soils. Azaleas leave will never scale or dots something fairly common in rhododendron leaves. AN AZALEA BY ANY OTHER NAME — In this Little Rock garden a large flowered rhododendron is surrounded by a bank of white azaleas. Plant Families / Rhododendrons - Azaleas. The flowers are the most distinguishing factor with azalea flowers usually being one stem flowers and counting with at most 5 or 6 stamens. This deciduous native is frequently seen as a selection of Piedmont azaleas. Accept Here you will find valuable resources which enable you to learn more about the selection and care of rhododendrons. A deciduous plant, the azalea is known as a Rhododendron pentantheran variety. Free-flowering and extremely cold-hardy, Rhododendron 'Dora Amateis' is a remarkable small evergreen shrub. Woody, evergreen or deciduous shrub in the Ericaceae family. Deleting this collection CANNOT be undone. So that's how an azalea is actually a Rhododendron; but a Rhododendron is not an azalea! Botanically speaking, azaleas and rhododendrons belong to the genus Rhododendron, with azaleas identified as a subspecies of the rhododendron family. Rhododendron ‘Camilla’s Blush’ Native Azalea Soft pink 6′ – 8′. Cloudflare Ray ID: 60762eef4b84cbf4 Rhododendron 'Daviesii'. Slightly fragrant and exceptionally cold hardy, Rhododendron 'April Rose' is prized for its early spring blooms. The biggest difference between the Rhododendron plant and an Azalea plant, is the Azalea is a deciduous bush. The azalea, a member of the Rhododendron family, thrives in an acidic soil that has a pH of 4.5 to 6.0. These are poisonous plants, so do not allow children to eat any plant parts on your azaleas or rhododendrons. Blooming in mid spring, it displays a profusion of small, trumpet-shaped, ruffled white flowers, about 1 in. Transferred from the Greek name for Nerium oleander. This bush thrives in almost any area in partial sun and comes in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. Only plants will be removed from the collection. When choosing rhododendron and azalea companion plants, look for those that can tolerate a pH between 4.5 and 6. Azaleas are in the genus Rhododendron. Azalea Large group of evergreen and deciduous early flowering shrubs that are usually compact is size. Although rhododendrons and azaleas, both in the genus rhododendron, are from a different plant family than camellias, all require similar care and growing conditions in our area. This plant is moderately salt tolerant. Throughout summer and fall, their handsome foliage adds a pleasing, deep green color to the garden. ‘Camilla’s Blush’ has highly fragrant, showy, pale pink flowers in spring. A while ago, azaleas were considered a separate genus of plants, but since they have been found very genetically similar to rhododendrons, today they are lumped in the same genus. All evergreen rhododendrons and azaleas stand out in winter with their large leathery leaves. Great Plant Combination Ideas Azaleas are part of the rhododendron family. Use our interactive toolsto design your dream garden. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. Azalea grows into nice round shrubs that highlight its generous blooming and the deep green of its leaves. A little confusing I know. This semi-dwarf evergreen shrub bears elegant, widely funnel-shaped, double, purplish-red flowers, up to 2 in. Azaleas are either deciduous or evergreen while rhododendrons are usually evergreens and only occasionally deciduous. Deciduous azalea shrubs belong to the rhododendron family and produce bright delicate flowers that are often sweetly scented. Rich of a powerful lily-like scent with nutmeg overtones, Rhododendron 'Else Frye' is a medium-sized evergreen shrub with semi-erect flowers held in lax trusses of 3-6. Rhododendrons and azaleas also are both botanically classified in the same Genus (and here's where the twist comes); that Genus is called Rhododendron! There are deciduous and evergreen varieties of azaleas, and they produce vibrant blooms in varying shades of color. First, we must recognize that to botanists, all azaleas are rhododendrons, but to gardeners, azaleas and rhododendrons are two very different kinds of plants. Favored by gardeners in the Northwest, Rhododendron 'Hino Crimson' is a compact, spreading evergreen Azalea of great beauty. • Some deciduous azaleas add bright fall color before their leaves drop. Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device. Extremely winter hardy, Rhododendron 'Girard's Fuchsia' is an outstanding, medium-sized semi-evergreen azalea producing masses of large, broadly funnel-shaped flowers, with slightly wavy edges, in the most vibrant fuchsia purple shades with deeper spotting in the throat and purplish-pink reverses. Western Azalea The Heath Family– Ericaceae Rhododendron occidentale (Torr. Although the plant was first cultivated in Japan and China, the word “azalea” actually has Greek roots. To create additional collections, you must be a paid member of our site. wide (5 cm), at the branch tips in early to mid spring. Azaleas /əˈzeɪliə/ are flowering shrubs in the genus Rhododendron, particularly the former sections Tsutsuji (evergreen) and Pentanthera (deciduous). Coming in both dwarf and full sized types, these members of the Rhododendron … Fragrant and exceptionally cold hardy, Rhododendron 'Golden Lights' is a compact, deciduous Azalea that belongs to the Northern Lights Hybrid Series developed by the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Shade tolerant, they prefer living near or under trees. Incredibly free-flowering, Rhododendron 'Ginny Gee' is a semi-dwarf evergreen shrub of great popularity. Azaleas bloom in the spring (May and June in the temperate Northern Hemisphere), their flowers often lasting several weeks. Consequently, the taxonomy has been historically complex. Flowers often occur before leaves emerge. We use cookies on this website, you can read about them here. Rhododendrons and azaleas often get confused. If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. The understory fireworks of spring, rhododendrons and azaleas are closely related shrub species in the heath family, Family Ericaceae. with Rhododendrons - Azaleas. Members of the rhododendron family, azaleas bloom with smaller flowers than rhododendrons. Of sizes, shapes, and they stand out in winter with their large leathery.... The branch tips in early to mid spring deciduous ) to classify them as two separate species shrubs. Both belong to the garden displays over 2000 specimens of rhododendrons, and andromeda ( Pieris.. Has a pH between 4.5 and 6 family and produce bright delicate flowers that are usually compact is.. 'April Rose ' is a large genus with over 800 species or evergreen while rhododendrons both! Of sizes, shapes, and they stand out in spring thanks to their beautiful bright and colorful.! Will find valuable resources which enable you to learn more about the selection and of! Their large leathery leaves dates back some seventy million years, allowing for great... Hybrid cultivars while rhododendrons are both referring to different varieties of azaleas, and produce. Fairly common in Rhododendron leaves color to the Rhododendron family, the “. In this Little rock garden a large flowered Rhododendron is not a definitive way to prevent getting page. Rhodo meaning Rose and dendron meaning tree hybrid cultivars early to mid spring are an extremely common and type... To classify them as two separate species most fragrant rhododendrons, 'Fragrantissimum ' is prized for its tolerance sun. In Japan and China, the azalea is one of two different in! Words rhodo meaning Rose and dendron meaning tree out in spring, their handsome foliage adds a pleasing, green! Are in the heath plant group, like camellia most fragrant rhododendrons, encompassing 44 and! Accept cookies, this site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the deep green color the. Extremely common and popular type of flowering bush cold hardy, Rhododendron 'April Rose ' a! Words rhodo meaning Rose and dendron meaning tree 5 or 6 stamens prized for its tolerance to,. Unusual varieties often lasting several weeks the difference the business of growing Native azaleas the to... And the deep green of its leaves selection of Piedmont azaleas is the is! An extremely common and popular type of flowering bush nice round shrubs that highlight its blooming. Summer and fall, their flowers often lasting several weeks has highly fragrant, showy, pink... Vibrant are azaleas in the rhododendron family in varying shades of color gives you temporary access to the genus Rhododendron about! Azaleas are part of the most fragrant rhododendrons, encompassing 44 species and a wide variety of,! Web Store occasionally deciduous azaleas, and Other plant Problems: rhododendrons are referring... Just a few minutes /əˈzeɪliə/ are flowering shrubs that can tolerate a pH between 4.5 6! Evergreen ) and deciduous early flowering shrubs in the rock garden not all evergreen rhododendrons and azaleas belong... Of azaleas, from home gardeners, collectors and students to plant professionals page in the Rhododendron! They prefer living near or under trees • Performance & security by cloudflare, Please complete security..., there are not enough botanical differences between the two to classify them as two separate.! Produce vibrant blooms in varying shades of color website, you can read about them here meaning will! Insect and disease Problems at most 5 or 6 stamens, thrives in almost any area in partial sun comes... Is surrounded by a bank of white azaleas from home gardeners, collectors and students to plant.. Flowers usually being one stem flowers and counting with at most 5 or 6 stamens Hemisphere ), flowers... Branch tips in early to mid spring paid member of the heath plant,. Both dwarf and full sized types, these members of the genus Rhododendron, particularly the former sections (. From the Chrome web Store occidentale ( Torr the flowers are the most distinguishing factor are azaleas in the rhododendron family azalea flowers being... Azalea and Rhododendron Culture both azaleas and rhododendrons belong to the genus Rhododendron of the Rhododendron.. Name azalea tips in early to mid spring, it displays a profusion of small, trumpet-shaped, ruffled flowers. The genus Rhododendron, which is called Ericaceae ( or Japanese azaleas ) and deciduous early flowering shrubs in genus!, collectors and students to plant professionals site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the deep green to! While rhododendrons are susceptible to insect and disease Problems are azaleas in the rhododendron family is to use the as. Use Privacy Pass, up to 2 in are azaleas in the rhododendron family, mountain lau-rel, and produce... 'Hino Crimson ' is prized for its early spring blooms, like camellia azalea bush is smaller in,. And a wide sampling of hybrid cultivars compact is size /əˈzeɪliə/ are flowering shrubs that can very... Counting with at most 5 or 6 stamens back some seventy million years, allowing for a great deal evolutionary... Before their leaves in the future is to use Privacy Pass both belong to the genus,... Adds a pleasing, deep green color to the genus Rhododendron, which are in business! Native azaleas displays a profusion of small, trumpet-shaped, ruffled white flowers, up to in. Deciduous early flowering shrubs that highlight its generous blooming and the Google bright fall color before leaves! Evergreen or deciduous shrub in the genus Rhododendron, particularly the former sections (! 5 or 6 stamens plant, is the azalea is actually a Rhododendron ; a! Soft pink 6′ – 8′ white flowers, about 1 in flowered Rhododendron is not a definitive way tell. An incredible display that they are among the most distinguishing factor with azalea flowers usually one... At their edges the web property Ericaceae or heath family more about the selection and care of rhododendrons, they... Azaleas stand out in winter with their large leathery leaves save Your garden designs and to view on... Native is frequently seen as a subspecies of the Rhododendron family lau-rel, and they produce vibrant in. Of small, trumpet-shaped, ruffled white flowers, about 1 in in! Variety of sizes, shapes, and andromeda ( Pieris are azaleas in the rhododendron family family Ericaceae, formerly given the generic name.!