Flame azalea

Flame orange azalea is almost finished blooming in the shaded end of the garden. This is a garden azalea but its brilliant orange resembles the wild azalea on this region, which has big flowers in shades of orange and yellow.

The National Arboretum azalea collection is not to be missed right now. If you are lucky enough to get a spot you should sign up for an evening guided tour of the collection. There are more than 2,000 different varieties, many as yet unnamed, covering the hill and formal gardens in the azalea section. They bloom at different times over the course of mid-April to Mid-May. Biltmore's one azalea is about done now.

Rhododendrons are the same family. The ones that grow here are commonly magenta or shades of pink and white, althrough there are yellow varieties as well. Mountain laurel is another cousin.