Rhododendron simsii, known in English as Indian azalea and in French as azalé de l'Inde and azalé de Formose, is an evergreen shrub from Asia grown for its masses of pink, white, red, or mauve blossoms.
Not surprisingly, Indian azalea is not hardy enough to withstand Toronto winters. It can, however, be grown as a houseplant, and spend summers outside if desired. I photographed these azaleas at Allan Gardens. And of course, there are hardy azaleas available.
Rhododendron spp., known in English and French by the genus name, are shrubs native to many parts of the world, especially in the northern hemisphere. The species shown is (obviously) a broad-leaf evergreen, one of the very few broadleaf evergreens which can survive Toronto winters.
Rhododendrons are sometimes suggested as a source of "winter interest", but here in Toronto many of them are buried under snow. Also, the leaves become limp in winter; I personally do not find this appealing. The plump buds with their promise of gorgeous spring blossoms are lovely, however.
Here are lists of all the plants mentioned in this blog.
I'm also working on a list of all the plants native to Toronto (still in development).
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