North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Genus:
Family:

Rhododendron austrinum

Rhododendron austrinum (Small) Rehder

florida flame azalea, orange azalea

Synonym(s): Azalea austrina
Cultivar(s): Admiral Semmes, Harrison's Red, Millie Mac, Moonbeam, Pretty One

Rhododendron austrinum (Florida Flame Azalea)

Image ID: 13043
Image by: Cressler, Alan M.
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: RHAU
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rhododendron austrinum
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2019-09-18

CULTIVAR INDEX

Cult_id	Cultivar_name	Action
1526	Admiral Semmes	View
1527	Harrison's Red	View
1717	Millie Mac	View
1719	Moonbeam	View
1528	Pretty One	View

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: RHODO
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Rhododendron
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Rhododendron
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 860 species, shrubs and trees, mostly north temperate (centered in Himalayan Asia). Molecular evidence appears to show that Menziesia should be included in Rhododendron, and is actually closely related within Rhododendron to R. vaseyi (Goetsch, Eckert, & Hall 2005; Kurashige et al. 2001); while the urceolate corolla is rather anomalous in Rhododendron, many other characters ally Menziesia with basal clades in Rhododendron s.l.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION: Identification notes: This key makes as much use as possible of vegetative characters, geography, and capsule characters; capsules are generally available for longer during the year than flowers, and even when plants are in flower, last years capsules can often be found.
GENUS REFERENCES: Judd & Kron in FNA (2009); Fabijan in FNA (2009); Kron (1993)=Z; Judd & Kron (1995)=Y; Chamberlain (1982)=X; Cullen (1980)=Q; Davidian (1982)=D; Craven (2011)=U; Duncan & Pullen (1962)=V; Goetsch, Eckert, & Hall (2005); Towe (2004); Kron & Creel (1999); Stevens et al. in Kubitzki (2004).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: ERICAC
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Ericaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: A.L. de Jussieu 1789
FAMILY COMMON: Heath Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 107-124 genera and 3400-4100 species, primarily shrubs, small trees, and subshrubs, nearly cosmopolitan. The Ericaceae is very important in our area, which is one of the north temperate centers of diversity for the Ericaceae, with a great diversity of genera and species, many of them rather narrowly endemic. Along with Quercus and Pinus, various members of this family are dominant in much of our landscape.
FAMILY REFERENCE: Tucker in FNA (2009); Gillespie & Kron (2010, 2013); Kron et al. (2002); Wood (1961); Judd & Kron (1993); Kron & Chase (1993); Luteyn et al. (1996)=L; Dorr & Barrie (1993); Cullings & Hileman (1997); Stevens et al. in Kubitzki (2004).

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO:
STEMS:
LEAVES:
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS:
FRUITS:
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: 6-10 feet Spread 4-6 feet

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Shrub

LEAF ARRANGEMENT: Alternate
LEAF COMPLEXITY: Simple
LEAF RETENTION: Deciduous

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY:
BLOOM TIME: Mar-Apr

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
		x	x

BLOOM COLOR: Yellow to orange flowers

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
x	x		x	x

FRUITING PERIOD:

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE:
NATIVE RANGE: GA, FL, AL & MS

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: Florida Azalea erupts in golden yellow- orange trumpets each spring. If the bright flowers don’t draw you in, the light honeysuckle-like fragrance will. Prefers slightly acidic to acidic soils. It is one of the easiest native azaleas to grow. Once established, it can tolerate drought, but water occasionally during the growing season to keep it looking its best. Try planting Phlox divaricata below for a stunning spring display.

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Average, Moist/Wet
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 6
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 10
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE: Bee Friendly, Butterfly Friendly
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
379	2011-0252	2011-11-29	383	View
2660	1987-0112			View
3621	1991-0301			View
6719	1996-0374			View
6897	1998-0104			View
6898	1998-0105			View
6976	1998-0188			View
7778	2001-0134	2001-06-27		View
8095	2004-0103			View
8113	2004-0121			View
8659	2006-0264	2006-09-21		View
9184	2017-0047	2020-04-08	1940	View
9186	2017-0049	2020-04-08	1942	View

GRIM COLLECTIONS

Coll_id	Project	Collection date	Collector	Action
383	HORT		Liloia	View
1940	HORT	2017-04-01	MacIntyre	View
1942	HORT	2017-04-01	MacIntyre	View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
909	379	36	NCBG staff	2011-00-00	View
4454	2660	138	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
5920	3621	66	NCBG staff	1996-01-01	View
5921	3621	60	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
9487	6719	118	NCBG staff	1967-12-01	View
9760	6897	160	NCBG staff	1997-11-07	View
9761	6898	160	NCBG staff	1997-11-07	View
9848	6976	160	NCBG staff	1998-04-03	View
9849	6976	166	NCBG staff	1998-04-03	View
10982	7778	6	NCBG staff	1996-03-25	View
11359	8095	164	NCBG staff	1967-12-31	View
11369	8113	164	NCBG staff	2003-04-08	View
11874	8659	153	NCBG staff	2006-10-01	View
11875	8659	154	NCBG staff	2006-10-01	View
12154	9184	166	MacIntyre	2017-06-12	View
12157	9186	170	MacIntyre	2017-04-10	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: RHAU
USDA Common Name: Orange Azalea
Native Status: L48 (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, FL, GA, MS)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Shrub

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FAC				FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rhododendron austrinum
COMMON NAME: Florida Flame Azalea
SYNONYMY: [= FNA, K, L, WH3, Z; = Azalea austrina Small - S]
PHENOLOGY:
HABITAT: Hammocks, bluffs, floodplain forests.
COMMENTS: Sc. GA and ne. FL west to s. AL and se. MS (Kron 1993); also reported for e. GA (Jones & Coile 1988).
RANGE MAP: Rhododendron austrinum.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Ericaceae A.L. de Jussieu 1789 (Heath Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 107-124 genera and 3400-4100 species, primarily shrubs, small trees, and subshrubs, nearly cosmopolitan. The Ericaceae is very important in our area, which is one of the north temperate centers of diversity for the Ericaceae, with a great diversity of genera and species, many of them rather narrowly endemic. Along with Quercus and Pinus, various members of this family are dominant in much of our landscape.
REFERENCE: Tucker in FNA (2009); Gillespie & Kron (2010, 2013); Kron et al. (2002); Wood (1961); Judd & Kron (1993); Kron & Chase (1993); Luteyn et al. (1996)=L; Dorr & Barrie (1993); Cullings & Hileman (1997); Stevens et al. in Kubitzki (2004).

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Rhododendron L. (Rhododendron)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 860 species, shrubs and trees, mostly north temperate (centered in Himalayan Asia). Molecular evidence appears to show that Menziesia should be included in Rhododendron, and is actually closely related within Rhododendron to R. vaseyi (Goetsch, Eckert, & Hall 2005; Kurashige et al. 2001); while the urceolate corolla is rather anomalous in Rhododendron, many other characters ally Menziesia with basal clades in Rhododendron s.l.
REFERENCE: Judd & Kron in FNA (2009); Fabijan in FNA (2009); Kron (1993)=Z; Judd & Kron (1995)=Y; Chamberlain (1982)=X; Cullen (1980)=Q; Davidian (1982)=D; Craven (2011)=U; Duncan & Pullen (1962)=V; Goetsch, Eckert, & Hall (2005); Towe (2004); Kron & Creel (1999); Stevens et al. in Kubitzki (2004).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Rhododendron austrinum in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Rhododendron austrinum in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Rhododendron austrinum in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Rhododendron austrinum in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Rhododendron austrinum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Rhododendron austrinum