Elepidote Rhododendron: R. degronianum ssp. heptamerum

Flower white to pink, occasionally striped deeper pink, funnel-campanulate, with 5 to 9 lobes.  Truss has 6-15 flowers.  Blooms early midseason to midseason.  Leaves elliptic to oblanceolate, up to 5½" long, thin to velvety indumentum.  Compact and rounded plant habit.  Grows to a height of about 3 ft. in 10 yrs.  Plant is cold hardy to -15°F (-26°C).  Species found in the wild in southern Japan.

Lepidote Rhododendron: 'Balta'

Flower opens yellowish-white to very pale purple and ages to white.  Held in dome-shaped truss of about 9 flowers.  Blooms early.  Leaves elliptic, acute apex, cuneate base, 1½" long, down curved edges, semi-glossy, dark green, retained 1 year.  Upright, dense plant habit.  Grows to a typical height of 3 ft. in 10 years.  Plant and bud hardy to at least -20°F (-29°C).  Hybridized by Mezitt.

Evergreen Azalea: 'Girard's Fuchsia'

Flower moderate to deep purplish-red with moderate purplish-red spots, reverse deep purplish-pink, broadly funnel-shaped, wavy lobes, 2½" to 3" across.  Inflorescence 3 flowered.  Blooms midseason.  Leaves narrowly obovate to elliptic, apiculate apex, narrowly cuneate base, 1¾" long, glossy, moderate yellowish olive green.  Broad plant habit.  Grows to a typical height of 4 ft. in 10 years.  Cold hardy to -15°F (-26°C).  Hybridized by Girard.

Deciduous Azalea: R. weyrichii

Flower salmon pink to brick red, spotted darker, openly funnel-campanulate, 1½"-2½" across.  Inflorescence 2-4 flowered.  Blooms early midseason to midseason.  Leaves broadly rhombic, up to 3" long, borne in threes at tips of branches, deciduous.  Shrub grows to 5 ft. or more in 10 years.  Hardy to at least -10°F (-23°C).  Native species found in the wild in Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu in Japan and Cheju Island in Korea.