Florida Flame Azalea

{"key":"flame","id":"PLT-RHOD-AUSTRINUM","slug":"florida-flame-azalea","name":"Florida Flame Azalea","botanical":"Rhododendron austrinum","eyebrow":"NATIVE SPRING COLOR + WOODLAND CHARACTER","benefit":"Let spring light up a quieter corner.","intro":"Golden-yellow to orange flowers appear on an open framework of branches, bringing a different kind of drama from a clipped evergreen azalea. Give this Gulf Coast native a sheltered woodland setting and let the seasonal change be part of the design.","h":[3,10],"w":[3,8],"install":[2,1.5],"color":"#d59b37","habit":"upright","light":"Part sun / filtered light","lightTags":["part"],"water":"Moist, acidic soil without prolonged flooding","season":"Deciduous · yellow-orange flowers in spring","care":"Allow natural branching; check moisture during dry spells","site":"A lightly shaded, acidic bed is a useful starting point around Pensacola. Avoid direct salt spray, brackish flooding and exposed dry paving edges. Choose nursery-grown plants and match the actual site, not the regional name alone.","sizeNote":"FNPS gives a broad species range of 3–10 ft high × 3–8 ft wide. Nursery stock and growing conditions vary. Allow the upper end where growth is unrestricted; this guide does not describe a compact Encore cultivar.","uses":["Native spring flowers","Woodland edge","Filtered-light garden","Yellow and orange color","Seasonal focal point"],"checks":[["Use the branches as part of the composition.","A loose, open plant looks different from a solid hedge. Place it where the spring flowers can stand against a quieter background."],["Plan for winter without leaves.","This is a deciduous azalea. If privacy is important, provide a separate evergreen layer instead of asking seasonal foliage to do that job."],["Check moisture below the mulch.","Shelter from hot exposure helps, but it does not replace an appropriate root environment. Observe the bed during both wet and dry weather."],["Keep the selection appropriate for the household.","Azaleas are harmful if eaten. Consider access by children and pets, and buy nursery-grown stock while leaving wild plants in place."]],"faq":[["Is this another Encore azalea?","No. Florida flame azalea is a native deciduous species with a spring display and open branching. Encore selections have different habits and flowering patterns."],["Can it provide a year-round screen?","No. Its winter leaf loss should be visible in the plan. Pair it with a separately spaced evergreen if a screened view is needed."],["Will every plant have exactly the same orange flowers?","Flower color varies within the yellow-to-orange range. Confirm the nursery plant if a specific color matters; the illustrations show a possible appearance."]],"sources":[["Florida Native Plant Society · flame azalea size and conditions","https://www.fnps.org/plant/rhododendron-austrinum"],["UF/IFAS · native range and plant identity","https://plant-directory.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/rhododendron-austrinum"],["UF/IFAS Escambia County · native azaleas in North Florida","https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2025/03/28/video-native-azaleas-in-north-florida/"]],"companions":[{"slug":"florida-anise","name":"Florida Anise","title":"Give seasonal flowers a green backdrop.","reason":"Florida anise can supply a taller evergreen background in a suitably moist, sheltered bed. Keep enough distance for both plants’ mature branches and light needs.","image":{"id":"6a9f3484598f07756d53faf0","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f3484598f07756d53faf0_landova-shrub-anise-context-r02.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Florida Anise"}},{"slug":"oakleaf-hydrangea","name":"Oakleaf Hydrangea","title":"Carry woodland interest into summer.","reason":"Oakleaf hydrangea adds a different leaf shape and flowering season where drainage and shade suit both. Both lose leaves, so neither supplies winter screening.","image":{"id":"6a9f5cd62a41d062f4f88b9c","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f5cd62a41d062f4f88b9c_landova-oakleaf-context-r05.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Oakleaf Hydrangea"}}],"wholeCaption":"Illustrative spring form · open branches and emerging foliage","detailCaption":"Illustrative detail · yellow-orange trumpet flowers and long stamens","wholeFit":"contain","native":true,"guideKind":"Native species guide","aliases":["Florida azalea","flame azalea","native yellow azalea","Rhododendron austrinum"],"images":{"context":{"id":"6a9f6fc66bb9ef2321a61708","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f6fc66bb9ef2321a61708_landova-flame-context-r06.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Florida Flame Azalea"},"whole":{"id":"6a9f6fc85926e504213dca13","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f6fc85926e504213dca13_landova-flame-whole-r06.webp","alt":"Illustrative view of Florida Flame Azalea overall form","fit":"contain"},"detail":{"id":"6a9f6fc90f90786f27aafa78","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6a9f6fc90f90786f27aafa78_landova-flame-detail-r06.webp","alt":"Illustrative view of Florida Flame Azalea foliage and seasonal detail"}},"caution":"A deciduous native with open branches, not an evergreen Encore. Needs a sheltered, acidic bed; harmful if eaten."}