Rhododendron atlanticum

Rhododendron atlanticum
Rhododendron atlanticum at Stuckey, South Carolina
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Rhododendron
Subgenus:	Pentanthera
Section:	Pentanthera
Species:	R. atlanticum
Binomial name
Rhododendron atlanticum Rehder

Rhododendron atlanticum (Greek Ροδόδενδρο) (dwarf azalea or coastal azalea), is a species of Rhododendron native to coastal areas of the eastern United States, from New Jersey south to Georgia.

It is a deciduous shrub 50-150 cm tall, forming a thick understory in forests, spreading by underground stolons. The leaves are 3-5 cm long and 1-2 cm broad, bluish green, and hairless or with scattered glandular hairs. The fragrant flowers are 3-4 cm long, usually white to pink, sometimes with a bit of yellow; they are produced in trusses of 4-10 together.

Cultivation and uses

It is not widely cultivated in North America, but has been introduced and is popular in England. In the U.S. it is regarded as a good plant for heavy soils, but will spread itself too freely if planted in sandy soils.

References

• Germplasm Resources Information Network: Rhododendron atlanticum