Pinxter Azalea
The flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.
By LYNN ARTZ and DAVID RODDENBERRY
The colorful azaleas that adorn southern yards came from east Asia. Florida has its own azaleas that wildlife prefer. Pinxter azalea (Rhododendron canescens) is a striking native azalea with tubular pink flowers that attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. It grows 10-15 feet tall in dappled sunlight and moist soil with organic matter. Pinxter azalea is the most common native azalea in the southeast and can form large colonies. It has many names including wild azalea, piedmont azalea, honeysuckle azalea, mountain azalea, sweet azalea, hoary azalea, and bush honeysuckle. In the wild in north Florida, it grows in moist woods, at the edge of swamps, and along streams. Pinxter azalea is blooming now in the woodland swale and south of the stage at Sopchoppy Depot Park.