Slightly fragrant and exceptionally cold hardy, Rhododendron 'April Rose' is prized for its early spring blooms. This semi-dwarf evergreen shrub bears elegant, widely funnel-shaped, double, purplish-red flowers, up to 2 in. wide (5 cm), at the branch tips in early to mid spring. The foliage of elliptic, flat, deep green leaves warms up to reddish-bronze in fall. A very reliable performer, this Lepidote Rhododendron is tough and can withstand temperatures as low as -25ºF (-31ºC). It makes a lovely accent shrub that is pleasing to the eye.

Free-flowering and extremely cold-hardy, Rhododendron 'Dora Amateis' is a remarkable small evergreen shrub. 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. Held in lax trusses of about 6 to 8 blooms, they provide a memorable scented display and contrast beautifully with the evergreen foliage of small dark green recurved leaves that becomes bronze-tinged in sunlight. Attractive and tough, this early midseason Rhododendron is one of the finest white dwarf hybrids.

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. Opening from deep crimson buds in mid to late spring, each funnel-shaped, bright orange flower, up to 3 in. wide (7 cm), is elegantly frilled and flushed red orange with a gold tinge. Slightly fragrant, they blanket this midseason Knaphill hybrid in an exceptional floral display and contrast nicely with the handsome foliage of narrow green leaves which do not develop any appreciable fall color. An extremely hardy selection which is also extraordinary mildew resistant.

Incredibly free-flowering, Rhododendron 'Ginny Gee' is a semi-dwarf evergreen shrub of great popularity. Blooming in mid spring, it displays a profusion of small, trumpet-shaped, ruffled white flowers, about 1 in. across (2.5 cm), with delicate pink mottling at their edges. Held in terminal clusters of multiple bright rose-pink buds, each with 3-5 flowers, the elegant blooms gradually fade to light pink or white as they mature. They are so abundant that they literally cover the full shrub. The small evergreen leaves are elliptic, dark matte green and take some red shades in winter. Compact, with a very dense growth habit, 'Ginny Gee' is easy to grow and tough as it can stand temperatures as low as -10°F (-23°C). It is also sun, heat and drought tolerant.

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. Opening from red-orange buds in late spring to early summer, before the leaves unfurl, 'Golden Lights' bears abundant flat trusses of 10 luminous, funnel-shaped, golden or butter-yellow flowers with lovely salmon-pink to orange highlights. Each bloom in the truss is less than 2 in. (5cm), but they are so profuse that the trusses look enormous. The foliage of narrow, olive green leaves has the added advantage of greater resistance to mildew than some other hybrid azalea cultivars.

Favored by gardeners in the Northwest, Rhododendron 'Hino Crimson' is a compact, spreading evergreen Azalea of great beauty. 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 flowering is so intense that the blooms of this midseason Azalea almost entirely cover the shrub. The foliage of small, elliptic, shiny dark green leaves turns bronze to red in cold weather. 'Hino Crimson' is a Kurume hybrid Azalea that is so compact that it works perfectly well in small gardens or rock gardens where it adds an impressive color display.

Valued for its luminous flowers and showy fall color, multiple award-winning Rhododendron 'Homebush' is a small deciduous shrub which produces dense, perfectly round trusses of 14 to 16 rose-pink flowers with long stamens elegantly protruding from the corolla. Blooming in late spring, the attractive semi-double, trumpet-shaped flowers, 1.5 in. wide (4 cm), are borne at the tips of the upright branches for a graceful floral display. The foliage of elliptic, light green leaves provides excellent fall color and is mildew resistant.

With some of the prettiest flowers, Rhododendron 'Ken Janeck' is a broadleaf evergreen rhododendron which, in mid spring, displays abundant clusters of about 13 to 17 soft pink trumpet-shaped flowers. Each richly colored bloom of this midseason rhododendron opens up from deep rose-pink buds to pale pink blossoms and gradually fades to white, the upper lobe being slightly spotted green. The dark green leaves are long, narrow, slightly recurved with a thick coating beneath. Grows in a compact, dense multi-stemmed and mounding shrub.

Ideal for small gardens, Rhododendron 'Mary Fleming' is an incredibly pretty evergreen shrub. It produces an abundance of creamy, wavy edged flowers that are delicately tinged with salmon pink and display a darker pink blotch in their throat. Blooming in mid spring, the blossoms of this early midseason rhododendron cover this dwarf rhododendron in a brilliant color display. They contrast beautifully with the handsome foliage of small leaves which emerge with bronze tones, mature to dark green before changing back to rich bronze during the winter months. Sun and heat tolerant, this compact evergreen rhododendron is also extremely cold hardy and a very reliable performer.

Valued for its fragrant and luminous spring flowers, Rhododendron 'My Mary' is a compact, medium sized deciduous Azalea hybrid that adds charm and beauty to the garden. In mid to late spring, abundant conical clusters of 25 funnel-shaped light yellow flowers with contrasting red-orange tubes and long elegant stamens, appear at the branch tips. Rich of a strong pleasing fragrance, they smother this early midseason Azalea in a brilliant floral display, brightening any shady areas of the landscape. The foliage of elliptic green leaves is thickly textured and insect-proof. A very reliable performer, this Azalea is winter hardy and makes a lovely accent shrub that is pleasing to the eye.

Noted for its sweetly scented double flowers in spring, Rhododendron 'Narcissiflorum' is a compact medium-sized deciduous Azalea that creates an appealing display. Blooming in late spring to early summer, the funnel-shaped flowers appear in small balled clusters of 10 small hose-in-hose (flower within a flower) pale yellow scented blooms. The blooms have darker throats and deeper shading on the outside of the petals. Resistant to mildew, the deciduous foliage of mid green leaves turns attractive shades of bronze-purple in fall. Highly popular, this vigorous, upright Ghent Azalea is cold hardy, up to -15°F (-26°C), and tolerant of warmth. 

Offering a ravishing display in mid to late spring, Rhododendron 'Nestucca' is a compact, evergreen shrub which produces incredibly beautiful domed-shaped clusters of 12 to 15 flowers. Opening from raspberry pink buds, each openly funnel-shaped white flower, up to 5 in. wide (12 cm), is elegantly frilled and lightly spotted with brown in the throat. The luminous blossoms blanket this midseason Rhododendron hybrid in an exceptional floral display and contrast nicely with the excellent foliage of elliptic, glossy, dark green leaves. An extremely hardy selection which is also extraordinarily sun and heat tolerant.

Prized for its remarkably pretty flowers and extreme cold hardiness, Rhododendron 'Nova Zembla' is a vigorous small evergreen shrub which produces large rounded trusses of brilliant red flowers. Blooming in mid to late spring, each trumpet-shaped flower is delicately splashed with deep maroon blotches on their upper lobes. Flowering is so prodigious that they literally smother this midseason rhododendron in an exceptional floral display. The evergreen foliage of elliptic, glossy, thick and dark green leaves does not develop any appreciable fall color. Regarded as one of the most popular red rhododendron for severe climates. It is also tolerant of heat and sun.

Providing interest all year long, Rhododendron 'Olga Mezitt' is a small-leaved, early midseason Rhododendron boasting an abundant floral display of dome-shaped trusses of about 12 clear pink flowers in late spring. Each slightly fragrant bloom features inconspicuous golden green blotches that age to reddish-brown. The shiny green, lance-shaped aromatic leaves are disease resistant and turn lovely coppery-burgundy shades in winter. Grows in a wide and upright evergreen shrub.

Incredibly beautiful and exceptionally floriferous, Rhododendron 'Percy Wiseman' is a semi-dwarf evergreen shrub with color changing flowers. Blooming in mid to late spring, it displays an abundance of ball-shaped trusses, each counting up to 13-15 trumpet-shaped flowers, about 2 in. across (5 cm). Opening creamy pink, the flowers gradually turn creamy white with a yellow throat as they mature, after passing through shades of red, pink and pale purplish pink. Since each flower opens and ages at different times, 'Percy Wiseman provides a ravishing and colorful display. The evergreen leaves are glossy, narrow and dark green on a fairly compact, rounded and well-branched shrub. 

A fabulous double-flowered Azalea, multiple award-winning Rhododendron 'Rosebud' is a small, compact evergreen shrub which produces incredibly beautiful rosy-pink flowers, 1.5 in. wide (4 cm). Opening from buds resembling perfect rosebuds in mid to late spring, each broadly funnel-shaped flower features up to 12 petals, delicately flushed with a slight veining of deep purplish pink. Flowering is so massive that it covers this midseason Gable hybrid in an exceptional floral display that can last up to 6 weeks, and hides branches and leaves. The evergreen foliage of small, glossy, mid-green leaves does not develop any appreciable fall color. Raised and introduced by Gable, 'Rosebud' is extremely cold hardy and regarded as the best pink rose-form full double Azalea.

Vigorous, Rhododendron 'Roseum Elegans' is a large, dense, broadleaf evergreen shrub that is valued for its large rounded clusters of rosy lavender flowers. Blooming in late spring to early summer, each cluster (or truss) can hold up to 20 attractive bell-shaped flowers with delicate reddish-brown dorsal spotting. Borne at the tips of the upright branches, the blossoms gradually change to pink over time and contrast beautifully with the evergreen foliage of elliptic, glossy, olive green leaves. Raised and introduced by A. Waterer, this late midseason Rhododendron is tolerant of heat and cold.

Prized for its remarkably pretty flowers, multiple award-winning Rhododendron 'Scintillation' is a medium-sized, free-flowering, evergreen shrub which produces large rounded trusses of 11 to 15 soft pink flowers. Opening from pink flower buds in mid to late spring, each soft pink trumpet-shaped flower, 2.5 in. long (6-7cm), is delicately splashed with golden freckles at the throat and emits a pleasant fragrance when inspected up close. Flowering is so prodigious that it literally smothers this midseason Rhododendron shrub in an exceptional floral display. The evergreen foliage of long, glossy, olive to dark green leaves does not develop any appreciable fall color and curls up tight when the winter temperatures drop. Heat and cold tolerant, it has received more accolades in eastern North America than any other.

Noted for its scented flowers and lovely fall foliage, Rhododendron 'Weston's Innocence' is a vigorous, medium-sized deciduous Azalea that creates a very appealing display. Blooming heavily in late spring to early summer, this late season Azalea bears showy dome-shaped clusters of 8 strongly fragrant, trumpet-shaped, frilly flowers with a very pale yellow dorsal flare. Resistant to mildew, the deciduous foliage of oval, glossy, mid green leaves is tinged bronze when new and turns attractive shades of burgundy-red in fall. Exceptionally cold-hardy, this hybrid of the eastern North American native Rhododendron viscosum can withstand temperatures as low as -25°F (-32°C). 

Prized for its compact habit, luminous spring flowers and remarkable cold hardiness, Rhododendron 'Windbeam' is a popular small-leaved deciduous Azalea hybrid. As the leaves emerge in mid spring, abundant ball-shaped clusters of 8 funnel-shaped white flowers, up to 1 in. wide (2.5 cm), tinged with soft apricot, appear at the branch tips, adding elegance and beauty to this early midseason Azalea. After a few days, the blossoms age to white before turning light purplish-pink, with their dorsal lobes slightly spotted red. The foliage of small, rounded, aromatic, olive green leaves turns bronze-green in fall. A very reliable performer, this Azalea is tough, sun and heat tolerant and makes a lovely accent shrub that is pleasing to the eye.

Native to the south eastern coastal plains of the United States, Rhododendron atlanticum, commonly known as Coastal Azalea or Dwarf Azalea, is a delightfully fragrant, semi-dwarf, deciduous Azalea. Blooming before the leaves emerge in mid to late spring, its funnel-shaped, white flowers, up to 1.5 in. wide (3-4 cm), with elegantly protruding stamens, are often softly blushed with pink on the outside. They bloom in clusters of 3 to 13 and contrast beautifully with the deciduous foliage of elliptic, blue-green leaves. Attractive and tough, this low, spreading shrub has been used in Azalea breeding programs to obtain sweet-smelling deciduous Azaleas. The powerful musky fragrance of this Azalea makes it a valuable addition alongside walking paths.

Regarded as one of the most gorgeous American shrubs, Rhododendron calendulaceum, also known as the Flame Azalea, is certainly one of the most spectacular native shrubs with its very showy flowers. Sometimes slightly scented, the blooms are larger than most other natives, up to 3 in. wide (7 cm), with buds resembling candle flames (hence the common name). Appearing as leaves emerge or just after, the flowers come in a wide range of fiery colors including golden-yellow, glowing orange shades and brilliant red, usually with an orange blotch on their upper lobe. Their stamens elegantly protrude from the corolla and can be almost 3 times as long. Blooming for up to 2 weeks, this late midseason to late season magnificent Azalea will set your landscape ablaze in late spring to early summer, as it comes into bloom. Its deciduous foliage of ovate to elliptic mid-green, softly hairy leaves, sometimes turns a muted yellow in fall. Both leaves and branches often appear in whorls.

Exceptionally cold hardy and decorative, Rhododendron mucronulatum 'Cornell Pink' is also prized for its early spring blooms. This medium-sized deciduous shrub bears graceful clusters of 2 to 3, broadly funnel-shaped, clear pink flowers, up to 2 in. wide (5 cm), on bare branches from mid winter to early spring. This mucronulatum hybrid puts on a spectacular show for two solid weeks when very little else is blooming. No doubt onlookers will stop and admire it. The foliage of lanceolate, dark green leaves is deciduous, unlike most other lepidote Rhododendrons, but they turn yellow and bronze before falling. A very reliable performer, 'Cornell Pink' makes a lovely accent shrub that is pleasing to the eye and a great companion to early daffodils and other spring bulbs. 

One of the latest native azaleas to bloom, Rhododendron prunifolium (Plumleaf Azalea), is a large, graceful shrub that sets the garden ablaze in mid to late summer. This deciduous azalea produces an abundance of orange to vivid red, funnel-shaped flowers, up to 2 in. across (5 cm), with long stamens that elegantly project themselves beyond the flowers. Borne in clusters of 4-7 flowers, the blooms are a great a nectar source for swallowtail butterflies and hummingbirds. They contrast beautifully with the elliptic to obovate, 6 in. long (15 cm), dark green shiny leaves which turn yellowish to plum in the fall.

Noted for its fragrant, spring blossoms and lovely fall color, Rhododendron schlippenbachii, commonly known as Royal Azalea, is an upright, rounded, deciduous Azalea with four seasons of interest. As the leaves emerge in mid to late spring, abundant clusters of 3 to 6 slightly scented, saucer-shaped pink flowers appear at the branch tips, adding elegance and beauty to this early midseason Azalea. Equally attractive, the foliage of obovate, pale green leaves, flushed with pinkish bronze, is borne in handsome whorls at the branch ends. In the fall, the leaves turn eye-catching shades of brilliant red, orange and yellow in a stunning display. Even winter brings its charm, when the well-balanced branching structure of this Azalea is fully revealed. 

One of the first and most beautiful spring-flowering native azaleas to bloom, Rhododendron vaseyi (Pink-Shell Azalea) is a deciduous, irregular rounded shrub which features trusses of 4 to 8 delicate pink to white, flat-faced flowers on leafless stems, with some prominent spotting in their throat. Blooming in mid-spring, the blossoms appear before the foliage of shiny, dark green leaves emerge. In fall, its foliage turns from bright green to glowing orange and red, igniting the garden with color. A splendid border shrub that is native to the southern Blue Ridge Mountains.

Prized for its strongly-scented flowers and beautiful fall foliage, Rhododendron viscosum, commonly known as Swamp Azalea, is a very appealing native to the swamps of the eastern United States, from Maine to Alabama, and westward to Texas. This bushy, medium-sized, deciduous shrub bears funnel-shaped, white flowers, often tinged pink, with long slender tubes. Held in small clusters of 3-12 flowers, they bloom profusely after the leaves emerge, in early summer and exude a strong clove-like perfume. The foliage of lustrous, elliptic, dark green leaves turns brilliant shades of yellow, orange and purple in fall, for a great colorful show. Exceptionally cold-hardy, this late season Azalea can withstand temperatures as low as to -20°F (-29°C). A wonderful landscape plant that deserves a place near a patio, deck or living area, where its delightful fragrance can be enjoyed.