Early Azalea

Rhododendron prinophyllum

Found in upland forests (especially under Quercus montana and Quercus rubra ), dry pine and oak woodlands. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

Keystone

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height: 4–8 feet
Spread: 4–8 feet
Light: Part shade
Soil moisture: Average

Space about 6 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 3 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

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Rhododendron prinophyllum photograph — (c) Tom Norton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: May to June
Fruiting season: August to October

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Recorded in 32 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 110 animals.

Veery
Catharus fuscescens
Birds. 3 shared habitats
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Worm-eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
Birds. 2 shared habitats
American Woodcock
Scolopax minor
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Black-and-White Warbler
Mniotilta varia
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Blue-winged Warbler
Vermivora pinus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Cerulean Warbler
Dendroica cerulea
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Louisiana Waterthrush
Seiurus motacilla
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Ovenbird
Seiurus aurocapilla
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
White-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta carolinensis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
American Tree Sparrow
Spizella arborea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Chuck-will's-widow
Caprimulgus carolinensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

63CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Rhododendron

Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Acleris pulverosana"North American" Hasty Acleris
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Acronicta tritonaGray Dagger, Triton Dagger
Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Automeris ioIo Moth
Callophrys augustinusThe Brown Elfin
Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth

Show all 63

Caloptilia violacellaTick-Trefoil Caloptilia
Catocala andromedaeAndromeda Underwing
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Darapsa choerilusAzalea Sphinx
Darapsa versicolorHydrangea Sphinx
Datana majorMajor Datana, Azalea Caterpillar
Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
Dysstroma citrataDark Marbled Carpet
Egira alternansAlternate Woodling
Eupithecia russeliataWhite-Lined Pug
Eupsilia sidusSidus Sallow
Fishia illocataWandering Brocade
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
Melanchra assimilisBlack Arches
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
Olethreutes permundanaRaspberry Leafroller
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
Papilio troilusSpicebush Swallowtail
Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
Polygonia progneGray Comma
Probole nepiasariaHeath Probole
Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
Rheumaptera hastataSpear-Marked Black Moth, Spear Mark
Rheumaptera prunivorataFerguson's Scallop Shell, Cherry Scallop Shell
Satyrium kingiKing's Hairstreak
Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
Sphinx kalmiaeFawn Sphinx, Laurel Sphinx
Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
Synanthedon rhododendriRhododendron Borer
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Trichoplusia niNi Moth, Cabbage Looper Moth
Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
Acleris maccana
Epinotia septemberana
Paralobesia rhoifructana
Tulsa finitella

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

24BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Rhododendron

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

2Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Rhododendron

Andrena carolina
Andrena cornelli

Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

5BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Rhododendron

Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
Lagopus lagopusWillow Ptarmigan
Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
Plectrophenax nivalisSnow Bunting

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Ericaceae
Hardiness: Zones 3–8
Soil pH: Neutral
Flower color: Pink or purple
Fruit begins: August
Fruit ends: October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “May to June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Pink or purple” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fruit begins · “August” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Hardiness · “Zones 3–8” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Height · “4–8 feet” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Leaves · “Deciduous” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Life cycle · “Perennial” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Light · “Part shade” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Soil · “Medium” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Soil pH · “Neutral” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Spread · “4–8 feet” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder

Also known as

Rhododendron roseum; Roseshell Azalea

Conservation status

Virginia rank	S5
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Early Azalea

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Rhododendron