Rhododendron viscosum, the swamp azalea,[1] clammy azalea or swamp honeysuckle,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae. This deciduous shrub, growing to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) tall and broad, is native to the eastern United States. It has rounded matt green leaves. In early summer it produces funnel-shaped white flowers flushed pink. The flowers have prominent stamens and are strongly fragrant.
Rhododendron viscosum | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Ericales |
Family: | Ericaceae |
Genus: | Rhododendron |
Species: | R. viscosum
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Binomial name | |
Rhododendron viscosum | |
Synonyms | |
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In cultivation in the UK, Rhododendron viscosum has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.[2][3] It is hardy down to −20 °C (−4 °F) but like most rhododendron species requires a sheltered position in dappled shade with acid soil that has been enriched with leaf mold.