The location of Auburn University’s Donald E. Davis Arboretum in east central Alabama places it near the epicenter of species diversity for deciduous Rhododendron in North America. Twelve of the seventeen species are represented in this collection, ten of which are native to Alabama. Documented wild-provenance accessions contribute to the conservation of native deciduous azaleas in the eastern United States. The collection also includes naturally-occurring hybrids and controlled crosses with breeding records dating back to the early 1980s. Interpretation of the collection demonstrates the importance of pollinators, and the growing need to use native plants in gardens and landscapes.
Institutions
Auburn University’s Davis Arboretum
