wetland shrub
Pinxter Flower
Rhododendron periclymenoides
Native to the Northeast and the Southeast
New Hampshire to Ohio and Kentucky, south to Georgia and Tennessee
- Light Partial shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Wet Moisture preference
- Zones 5–8 Cold to heat range
- Bloom Apr–May Flowering time
- Height up to 15 ft to 4.6 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A wetland shrub for partial shade and wet soil. Its white and pink flowers peak in April. At up to 15 ft, it needs room in rain gardens, pond edges, and damp low spots. Hardy in USDA zones 5–8.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
When it blooms
The Pinxter Flower's white and pink flowers bloom April to May, peaking in April. This spring display draws bees and butterflies.
Pinxter Flower blooms white & pinkFoliage
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee
also Eastern Carpenter Bee, Two-spotted Bumble Bee, American Bumble Bee +5 more
Asian Shaggy Digger Bee, Tridentate Miner, Azalea Mining Bee, Protuberance Miner Bee, Xylocopa virginica virginica - Butterflies Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WetlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- The Northeast and the SoutheastUnited States (18): CT, DC, DE, GA, KY, MA, MD, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, WV. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- New Hampshire to Ohio and Kentucky, south to Georgia and TennesseeThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Partial shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- WetThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5–8 · Canadian 6–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Various well-drained soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- 4.3–5.5The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- LowHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Salinity tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
- Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 15 ft (to 4.6 m)Typical mature height.
- Spread
- ~7 ft (2 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 8+ in (20+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- ShrubWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Apr–MayWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- White, PinkThe bloom color, or colors.
- Toxicity
- Poisonous if eatenWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Required (cold, moist)Whether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- Bare root, container, cuttings, seedHow to start new plants.
- Seed spread rate
- SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- LowHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.