Below is a list of native American azaleas that make wonderful garden plants:

R. canescense, also known as Sweet, Piedmont, or Florida Pinxter Azalea, blooms early in the spring. It is a large shrub, with fragrant flowers, white to dark pink. Hardy in zones 6b to 10a.

R. austrinum, the Florida azalea, is the first to flower in the spring and is indigenous to Northern Florida and the coastal plains to Mississippi. Hardy in zones 6b to 10a.

R. canadensis, or known as rhodora, is a very hardy deciduous species native to Maine and eastern Canada. Flowers are rose-purple and have deeply cut petals in delicate trusses. Bluish-green leaves on an upright compact plant. Alba is a white form that is hardy to -15°F.

R. calendulaceum or flame azalea, flowers in brilliant shades of orange to red and, sometimes, yellow on an upright vigorous plant. Native to Pennsylvania and Ohio. This is a tetraploid and the flowers are larger, although not fragrant, hardy to -25°F.

R. flammeium earlier known as Oconee azalea and R. specosium, is native to the lower Piedmont region across Georgia to South Carolina. Flowers are yellowish orange to red. Hardy in zones 6b to 9a.

R. periclymenoides, formerly R. nudiflorium, is known as the Honeysuckle azalea or Pinxterbloom azalea. It is deciduous with unusual pink and white flowers that curve backwards exposing the style and stamens. Native from Massachusetts south to North Carolina. Very hardy to -15°F.

R. vaseyi is one of the loveliest native azaleas. It is an upright plant with smooth tapering leaves. Also known as Pinkshell azalea. The flowers range from white to pink, spotted in red and bright yellow. The foliage in fall becomes a great red fall color. “White Find” is a choice form with white flowers, Hardy to -15°F.

R. prinophyllum, formerly R. roseum, also known as Roseshell azalea, has fragrant flowers. Native from Quebec south through New England, and west to Tennessee, central Arkansas, and eastern Oklahoma. Flowers are spicy fragrant, pink to purplish pink. Very hardy in zones 4b to 9a.

R. viscosum or Swamp azalea has a spicy fragrance to the flowers, which can be pink or white. The flowers are long, slender, tubular, and sticky. This azalea tolerates wet and dry conditions, sun or shade, and offers good fall color, Hardy to -25°F.