Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Ericales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Rhododendron carolinianum
FAMILY
Ericaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Carolina Rhododendron at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Rhododendron carolinianum
FAMILY
Ericaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN Flora of North America
Rhododendron minus var. minus
INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 145-05-003?:
Rhododendron minus FAMILY Ericaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Rhododendron carolinianum
COMMON NAME:
Carolina Rhododendron, Punctatum
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
JK Marlow jkm0402b_06
February Rutherford County NC
Chimney Rock Park
)
Alan S. Weakley asw_764124442092268
April SC
Jocassee Gorges
Calyx lobes deltoid (vs. those of R. minus ovate;), per Weakley's Flora (2023).
)
Alan S. Weakley asw_892531618519013
April SC
Jocassee Gorges
Corolla tube shorter than to as long as corolla lobes (vs. tube of R. minus longer than lobes), per Weakley's Flora (2023).
)
JK Marlow jkm0304v_05
April Rutherford County NC
Chimney Rock Park
Earlier white-flowered form of R minus sometimes designated R. carolinianum, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
)
JK Marlow jkm090412_101
April Greenville County SC
Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm160430_608
April Greenville County SC
Ashmore Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm200418_3915
April Greenville County SC
Ashmore Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm230428_2790
April Greenville County SC
Mountain Bridge Wilderness
)
Ron Lance rwl1222_a
April
)
Ron Lance rwl1222_b
April
Leaves mostly 2-4" long, with tiny dots (punctate) below, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
COMPARE
leaves of Kalmia and Rhododendron species
)
JK Marlow jkm150927_199
September Henderson County NC
Bearwallow Mountain
)
JK Marlow jkm0311f_08
November Rutherford County NC
Chimney Rock Park
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Rhododendron carolinianum
FAMILY
Ericaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Rhododendron carolinianum
FAMILY
Ericaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
Flora of North America
Rhododendron minus var. minus
INCLUDED WITHIN
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 145-05-003?:
Rhododendron minus
FAMILY
Ericaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Rhododendron carolinianum
1222
Shrub
Perennial
Habitat: Rocky summits, heath balds, high elevation forests, moist slopes, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas
Uncommon in Carolina Mountains
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
LEAVES:
Evergreen
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Spring
White
Slightly bilaterally symmetrical
5-lobed calyx
5-lobed campanulate to funnelform corolla
10 stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Wasowski & Wasowski, 1994, 2020) p092
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 1st ed. (Porcher & Rayner, 2001) p142
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p167
- Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast (Foote & Jones, 1989) p104
- Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance) p27
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p288
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