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nanasflowers

Is this a native honeysuckle

10 years ago

I live in NW Pa, and this shrub grows in the woods. I've always known it as honeysuckle. The foliage looks very much like the 'lights' azaleas. The intoxicatingly fragrant flowers are pink and look similar to the lights azaleas as well, but they are thinner. In the woods they are generally in shady areas and are small rangy looking shrubs. I know that if dug, they rarely survive being moved, but if one can successfully move one to a garden setting, it grows more uniform and can get quite large. Any idea if this is a native species?

Comments (9)

  • 10 years ago

    Yes, I can take a picture of one tomorrow and will post then.

  • 10 years ago

    There are a number of native azaleas with narrow tubular flowers and a very sweet, honeysuckle-like scent. I think babs' guess is very likely and look forward to the photos to confirm :-)

    nanasflowers 5bPa thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
  • 10 years ago

    I finally got my picture. I hope someone can identify it even tho it isn't in bloom.


  • 10 years ago

    my elderly neighbor always called the ones in our area "wild honeysuckle" when she was actually describing rhododendron canescens but those are just simply the words she was taught. i understood what she meant. your photo looks like a native azalea although i am not sure which one. there are several listed the the link below. maybe you can determine by looking at the photos of specimens in bloom. compare to r. arborescens, the sweet azalea?

    east coast native azaleas


    nanasflowers 5bPa thanked jeff_al
  • 10 years ago

    I agree with Jeff that your photo is one of the native Rhododendrons (azaleas). I can't ID them from foliage alone though.

    nanasflowers 5bPa thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH
  • 10 years ago

    It hasn't bloomed this year. It was a gift last year from someone that knew how much I loved the scent, and maybe it needed to establish itself first. It was in bloom when I received it last year, and it matches the description for this one. The fragrance is wonderful. I really didn't want to get rid of it, but also didn't want to tangle with something invasive. I'm thrilled that it's a native shrub. Now if I only knew where he dug it, but he won't tell. I'd love to have another one.

  • 10 years ago

    "Now if I only knew where he dug it, but he won't tell. I'd love to have another one." I hope he wasn't digging them from the wild.

  • 10 years ago

    Whoops, I didn't say which variety it is. I read all the varieties from the link Jeff provided (Thanks so much) , and it is r prinphyllum. In further research, I found that it is one half of the parentage for the 'lights' azaleas, which it smells exactly like. And, floral, I understand your concern, but it was dug on private property.