Rhododendron alabamense, or the Alabama Azalea, has snowy white
flowers with a prominent yellow blotch. Blooming in midseason, the flowers have a distinct lemon-spice
fragrance and measure .8 to 1.5 inches across.
Originally thought to be a white form of
R. periclymenoides (R. nudiflorum),
this plant was first described by Dr. C. Mohr in 1883. It grows naturally
in north central Alabama, and western to central Georgia and South Carolina.
R. alabamense is low to
medium in height, and spreads by underground stems or stolons. It propagates
with relative ease from soft wood cuttings and makes a delightful landscape
plant.
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