Flame
Azalea
Rhododendron
calendulaceum
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Aptly
named, this native azalea stands out even in the darkest forest understory.
It's fairly common, growing mostly at lower to mid-elevations, and seems
to prefer shadier locations, as opposed to most other members of the
Heath family. It is easy to identify too - no other shrub has bright orange
flowers like this one. (In fact, we have so few true orange native flowers
, they are usually a piece of cake to identify.) Like all the other native
Azaleas, they are deciduous. Their bright flowers begin opening in April
at lower elevations, and can be found blooming right up through June in
its highest range, around 5000 feet. They don't have much fragrance, but
the flowers are beautiful up close, with their 5 ("rarely" 6) very long
stamens reaching for the sky. I also discovered they can be devilishly hard
to photograph - they tend to grow in shade, and the slightest hint of a
breeze sets the tips of the slender branches , where all the blossoms are
clustered, into a gentle rocking. fdudley@weaversites.com
Fiona Dudley
Weaversites
986 Reems Creek Road
Weaverville NC 28787
828-231-1501
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