I don't know anything about Rhodys, azaleas, or shrubs in general. Trying to locate native azaleas in my area has been a hard find. I can easily find the Encore azalea and those bushy types. I'd like to plant some that stand tall almost like a tree. I don't know the latin name and that's probably why I don't know how to look them up in plantfiles to find a mailorder resource. Can someone please tell me the latin name of the native azalea to give me a starting point in my search?
Looking for Native Azaleas
Here's a good start on the names, but there are lots of crosses, too.
http://www.donaldhyatt.com/natives.html
"A good Start" for sure. I'll be a while reading from this site. Thank you so much. Already learned so much just reading 15 minutes of Hyatt's articles. After I finish, I should have a better understanding of which species will grow well in my shade area in south Ga.. I can identify so well will many of the areas Mr. Hyatt mentions. Especially the Parkway road views he mentions of East Tenn and North Carolina. I travel Hwy 441 from Ga to get to the parkway many times throughout the year. The azaleas I see on the way to my moms in Gatlinburg started my quest for finding some native azaleas.
Again, thank you, Claypa.
Natives like to grow on "balds" These are hills or mountains that are devoid of tree on top. Google : Azalea + bald. You are in native Azalea territory.
Oh, ok, I first read it as Gregory Bald, which I visit there quite a bit. So, do you think they would grow ok around my pond on both sides around the trees' drip lines?
Azaleas should do very good for you. They must be planted considerably higher than the pond. If the roots stay wet they will rot. They do not have tap roots, they are all near the surface.
The Azalea Society is dominated by people in your area with mostly deciduous..
Some Deciduous bloom very early. Lowe's discounts them when they are out of bloom, which may be when they are delivered.
Here is the Azalea search:
http://www.rhododendron.org/search_multi_azalea.htm
For additional information on native azaleas, check out the websites of
Carlson's Gardens (http://www.carlsonsgardens.com/)
Lazy K Nursery (http://www.lazyknursery.com/),
Mail Order Natives (http://www.mailordernatives.com - type "azalea" in the Search Box and click on the right arrow) and
We-Du Nurseries (http://www.we-du.com/ type "azalea" in the Search Meadowbrook Box and then click on the right arrow)
Thank you all for these links. These will help with my mission to have natives. Mail order Natives is already out of these. That's been my problem, nurseries do sell out quickly each year. Once I know who carries them I really need to call them to find out how to get an order in early enough. Thanks y'all!
Van Veen Nursery in Portland, OR is the number one vendor for Rhododendrons.
Prices are very good and their website is very helpful.
I bought plants recently that are suitable for the coastal area of South Carolina and will buy several cuttings in the spring.
www.vanveennursery.com
Thank you for that link!