SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rhododendron austrinum 'Don's Variegated'

COMMON NAME: Don's Variegated Azalea

GARDEN SIZE: 6 to 10 feet tall by 4 to 6 feet wide

GROWTH RATE: Moderate

USDA ZONE: 6 to 9

EXPOSURE: Shade, Part shade. May tolerate being in more sun if given more water (but still avoid leaving them with wet feet).

WATER & SOIL: Medium, consistent water. Avoid wet feet; prefers light, acidic, sandy, well-drained soils

HABIT (FORM): Upright, Rounded

FOLIAGE: Deciduous; Medium green with creamy marbled variegation

FLOWERS: Fragrant 2.5-3” trumpet-shaped bright orange-gold blooms in early spring before or with leaf emergence. Blooms on old wood.

PLANT ORIGIN: Southeastern United States (Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi); found in moist woods and along streams

WILDLIFE SUPPORT: Host plant for local butterflies and moths, and food source for pollinators, birds, and small mammals. Supplies shelter and nesting sites.

FERTILIZING: Apply a fertilizer for acid-loving plants in the early spring.

PRUNING: Remove spent flower clusters immediately after the blooms finish. Pruning is not usually needed or recommended, but may be done right after blooming is finished in late spring or early summer.

TOXICITY FLAGS: Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.

USES: Hedge, Foundation planting, Specimen