Q: I have this shrub in the front of my house. It’s absolutely beautiful. However, I don’t know what it is. I was up at Amiacola Falls this spring and saw some growing wild. They also had white and pink varieties.

A: You have a Florida azalea, Rhododendron austrinum. Did you notice the fragrant flowers when it bloomed by your house this spring? It’s one of the deciduous woodland azaleas that old timers called “honeysuckle shrub”.

It’s a great plant – you should be able to find them at local nurseries. Look also for Piedmont azalea, Rhododendron canescens. Both do very well in partial shade.

You can find more information about the azalea at NC State’s website, Florida azalea.

Florida azalea