All flowers
Coast Azalea Wikimedia Commons
Ericaceae

Coast Azalea

Rhododendron atlanticum

Coastal serenity.

Family
Ericaceae
Genus
Rhododendron
Native to
Eastern United States
Bloom season
Spring
Type
shrub
Height
3-5 ft
Sunlight
part shade to full sun
Soil
acidic, moist, sandy
Water
moderate
Hardiness
6-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The intensely fragrant white to pink flowers bloom before or alongside the emerging leaves in spring.
  • Coast azalea spreads by underground stolons, forming attractive colonies in sandy coastal woodland soils.
  • It is native exclusively to the Atlantic coastal plain, from Delaware south to Georgia.
  • The blue-green foliage has a distinctive waxy coating that helps the plant tolerate sandy, nutrient-poor soils.
  • Coast azalea has been used extensively in breeding programs to create fragrant, compact hybrid azaleas.

Color meanings

0

temperance

1

fragility

2

patience

Uses

  • woodland garden
  • fragrant garden
  • native plant restoration