Coastal Azalea

Rhododendron atlanticum

Other Names: Coast Azalea

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-8b (5?) Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 3′, but sometimes is seen at up to 5′

Width at Maturity: 3′, but sometimes is seen at up to 5′

Spacing: 3′ for solid hedges; 8’+ for space between plants

Flower Color: White sometimes flushed with Pink

Flower Size: 1.5-2″

Flowering Period: Mid Spring

Flower Type: Single, Trumpet-shape

Fragrant Flowers: Yes! Strong musky fragrance

Foliage Color: Blue Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Part to Mostly Shade, Dappled Shade, Morning Sun with Afternoon Shade, All Day Filtered Sun

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sandy, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained

Soil pH: 4.5 – 6.5 (Acid to Slightly Acid)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Butterflies, Beneficial Pollinators, Visual Attention

Resistances: Humidity, Shade, Rabbits

Description

Rhododendron atlanticum, commonly known as Coast Azalea, is a compact, stoloniferous, deciduous shrub native to coastal plain areas from New Jersey and Pennsylvania south to Georgia. It thrives both near the coast and inland as well in Zones 6a to 8b. It is often used in azalea hybridizing programs because of its potent flower fragrance. Abundant clusters of 2 inch long white flowers, sometimes flushed with pink, and with very long stamens that extend well beyond the corolla, bloom in clusters of 3-13 in April just before the new leaves flush. Attractive, obovate, blue green leaves to 2.5 inches long have bristly-ciliate margins and rounded tips. Plants are often seen growing in dense colonies in the wild, particularly in sandy soil areas, but are much less inclined to aggressively colonize in landscape plantings, particularly when grown in heavier soils. In the landscape, use coastal azalea as an accent, border, or hedge in a native, butterfly or woodland garden. It also grows well in containers that can be situated outside or even indoors as a year round houseplant!

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 3 to 5 feet tall and equally as wide, the Coastal Azalea is ideal for use as a specimen, in groupings, or as a natural hedge in partially shaded landscape and woodland borders. It also grows well in containers that can be situated on patios and around other outdoor living spaces where the pretty flower and fragrance can be enjoyed from close up, or even indoors as a year round houseplant. A fine selection for fragrance gardens, Azalea gardens, woodland gardens, white theme gardens, and cottage gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for hedge or grouping; 8 feet or more for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, you can enjoy it in containers that can be moved indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring. This azalea can also be grown year round indoors!

Growing Preferences

The Coastal Azalea is easy to grow in a light, acidic, sandy, well-drained soil in part shade. Morning and evening sun are okay but prefers shade or well-filtered sun during the afternoon hours. Tolerates full sun in moist cool locations, but prefers a sun dappled shade or high open part shade. Foliage may scorch in full sun if soils are not kept uniformly moist. Consistent moisture is best, but keep in mind that soils must drain well. Poor drainage inevitably leads to root rot. This azalea likes to be mulched with wood or straw mulch to help prevent the soil from completely drying out. Native azaleas are very low-maintenance, requiring little if any pruning. That said, occasionally we might prune a stray branch that is spoiling the natural form of the plant and snip off spent flower stems immediately after the bloom to encourage a fuller plant, but that’s up to you.

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, prune, fertilize and water native azaleas.

How To Plant & Care For Native Azaleas

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