Q. Peter, have little question. These deciduous Azaleas. Are there deciduous Rhodys too? I see these very vibrant Peach colored ones blooming right now. I bought some Exubury azealas and they are blooming a yellowish color and are very beautiful. Now do this turn into that peach color later or do I look for a deciduous Rhody? Thanks, love your work. Clark J. Riccobuono – Puyallup, WA
A. Thanks Clark. This little question is a big confusion for many people. This is because rhododendrons and azaleas are in the same genus Rhododendron. At one time they were in separate genera. Now the terms are used to loosely categorize sub groups of the genus Rhododendron. As a general rule Rhododendrons are evergreen and Azaleas are deciduous but there are exceptions. Korean Rhododendron (Rhododendron mucronulatum) is a notable exception of a deciduous Rhododendron and of course there are dozens of groups of evergreen azaleas. Other differences relate to the number of stamen the flowers have, Rhododendrons-10 and Azaleas-5, as well as the shape of the flower, bell versus funnel respectively. For more info on specific cultivars and their colors see the American Rhododendron Societies website http://www.rhododendron.org/ or contact the local Tacoma chapter http://www.eskimo.com/~enumclaw/TacomaARS.html
The Tacoma Chapter meets at the new Puyallup Public Library from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month, September through June.