General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial Shade to Full Shade
Water Preferences: Wet
Wet Mesic
Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Very strongly acid (4.5 – 5.0)
Strongly acid (5.1 – 5.5)
Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0)
Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 4b -31.7 °C (-25 °F) to -28.9 °C (-20 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 8b
Plant Height: 3-8 feet, to 12 feet
Plant Spread: 3 to 12 feet
Leaves: Deciduous
Fruit: Edible to birds
Fruiting Time: Late summer or early fall
Fall
Late fall or early winter
Winter
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Flower Color: Pink
White
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Flower Time: Spring
Suitable Locations: Bog gardening
Uses: Windbreak or Hedge
Cut Flower
Will Naturalize
Edible Parts: Fruit
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Birds
Butterflies
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Flood Resistant
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Tip
Layering
Other: Tissue Culture
Pollinators: Moths and Butterflies
Bumblebees
Bees
Miscellaneous: Monoecious

Image
Common names
  • Pinxterbloom Azalea
  • Pinxterflower
  • Rhododendron
  • Pink Azalea
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Rhododendron periclymenoides
  • Synonym: Azalea nudiflora
  • Synonym: Rhododendron nudiflorum
  • Synonym: Rhododendron nudiflorum var. glandiferum

Photo Gallery
Location: Chevy Chase, MD
Date: 2023-04-18

Date: 2017-03-13
Location: Meadowlark Botanical Garden, Fairfax, Virginia (May 2022)
Date: 2022-05-01
Location: Hiking Trail In Fairfax :-)
Location: Tennessee
courtesy Sunlight Gardens, www.sunlightgardens.com
Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-04-24
close-up of the common flower
Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Date: 2014-05-12
pure white flowers
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (Outdoors)
Wild
Location: Meadowlark Botanical Garden, Fairfax, Virginia (May 2022)
Date: 2022-05-01
Location: Belmonte Arboretum (Wageningen, The Netherlands)
Date: 2022-05-01
Location: Belmonte Arboretum (Wageningen, The Netherlands)
Date: 2022-05-01
Location: Hiking Trail In Fairfax :-)
Location: Hiking Trail In Fairfax :-)
Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-04-24
shrubs in pink bloom
Location: March, 2024
Beautiful emerging buds!
Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-04-24
a white blooming shrub
Location: March, 2024
Beautiful structure and buds.
Location: Lucketts, Loudoun County, Virginia
Date: 2014-05-13
Location: near Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-04-24
shrub in bloom above Brandywine Creek
Location: near Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-04-24
wild shrubs on hill in forest

Photo by Mason Brock, Wikipedia
Location: Southern Maine
Date: 2019-10-24
This plant was much brighter than other selections.
Location: Southern Maine
Date: 2019-10-24
Closeup of fall color of this selection.
This plant is tagged in:
Image

Comments:
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Jan 23, 2018 8:31 PM concerning plant:
    I've seen some wild specimens in the woods and above creeks in some few spots in southeast Pennsylvania. The native range of the Pinxterbloom Azalea (also with a scientific name of Rhododendron nudiflorum) is from southern New England and most of New York down in northern Florida & south Mississippi, with a few spots in Louisiana and southeast Texas. It is sold by some larger, diverse and native plant nurseries and is one of the more common deciduous azaleas planted in landscapes. Even in the East and South the deciduous azaleas which are high quality and expensive plants, they are only occasionally planted, especially around estates or professional landscapes. The east Asian evergreen azaleas with the smaller leaves, that never have yellow or orange flowers, that are bushier, and are cheap are planted a lot in the East and South by everyone.
  • Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Jan 15, 2012 7:11 AM concerning plant:
    Pinxterbloom occurs naturally along streams and in bogs in light woods. However, it is also well adapted to drier, rocky soils. Mid to late spring flowers are 1&½ to 2 inches wide, borne in trusses of 6 to 12, and appear just before the leaves emerge. The delicate petals curl back exposing long stamens and styles. Flowers range from soft pink to dark pink and are sweetly scented and very beautiful. Growing to about 6 feet tall, it is more densely branched than other deciduous azaleas and spreads by stolons or underground runners. Good for moist areas.

    This plant is frequented by butterflies, especially Swallowtails, Gulf Fritillaries and migrating Monarchs.
Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Untitled by connielvillaluna Apr 21, 2015 1:00 AM 1
Question by greene Jan 25, 2018 8:50 PM 18
Looks like a Pinxterbloom Azalea by scvirginia May 7, 2021 12:47 PM 0

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