Flower profile
Rhododendrons and azaleas
Rhododendron
Rhododendrons and azaleas is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Georgia it's most often seen in bloom in March–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Georgia
Quick look
Rhododendron, from Ancient Greek ῥόδον (rhódon), meaning "rose", and δένδρον (déndron), meaning "tree", is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are native to eastern Asia and the Himalayan region, but smaller numbers occur elsewhere in Asia, and in North America, Europe and Australia.
- It belongs to the Ericaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 1 states. USDA PLANTS
- In Georgia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–July. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,916 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #11 among the 111 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist
Rhododendrons and azaleas gift ideas
Handmade rhododendrons and azaleas gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Rhododendrons and azaleas art print
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Rhododendrons and azaleas greeting card
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Rhododendrons and azaleas mug
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Rhododendrons and azaleas earrings
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Rhododendrons and azaleas embroidery pattern
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Rhododendrons and azaleas sticker
When does it bloom?
In Georgia, most flowering sightings come in March–July.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe
- Unknown We couldn't find this name in NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe
- Georgia
- n/a Georgia's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: bark, flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, sap/juice, seeds, stems. Symptoms they list: “While the plants are known to contain toxins, ingestion of moderate amounts of azalea (nectar or leaves) poses little toxic hazard.” NC State Extension
ASPCA's entry “Azalea” (Rhododendron spp), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Vomiting (not in horses), diarrhea, weakness, cardiac… ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records rhododendrons and azaleas in 1 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Georgia.
Georgia counties with USDA records: Upson.
More Georgia flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile RHBA4.
- iNaturalist, Rhododendron: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Rhododendron (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- O.C.G.A. § 50-3-54: Georgia state wildflower.
- Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: James Kindt via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.