Azalea Mount Rainier

The Chinese Azalea 'Mount Rainier' is a deciduous ericaceous shrub, remarkable for its fragrant cream and gold flowers, and soft, bright, medium green foliage.

A remarkable American variety, the deciduous Azalea 'Mount Rainier' has an upright habit and reaches a height of 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) with a spread of 1 m (39.37 in) at maturity. The deciduous leaves are oval and flexible. In autumn, the foliage takes on vibrant colours before falling for winter. It flowers abundantly in terminal clusters in April-May. The large flowers have a wide-open trumpet shape. They are creamy-white with a wide golden centre and exude a subtle fragrance.

Hardy down to -20°C (-4°F), the Chinese Azalea 'Mount Rainier' thrives in a partially shaded position. This ericaceous shrub likes moist, humus-rich and well-drained, acidic soils. Plant deciduous Azaleas in ericaceous beds, on slopes, rockeries or at the edge of flowerbeds, to enjoy their fragrant, bright flowers, combined with Pieris, Heather, Kalmia, Japanese Pieris and Japanese maples.

Divided into 2 horticultural groups, the genus Rhododendron includes on one hand the Azaleas, Chinese and Japanese, with small evergreen or deciduous leaves, with 5 stamens per flower, and on the other hand the Rhododendrons, with abundant, evergreen and glossy foliage, whose flowers have more than 10 stamens. Although highly debatable from a botanical point of view, this classification is still widely used by horticulture professionals.