Rhododendron minus Michaux  var. chapmanii (A.Gray)W.H.Duncan & Pullen

Chapman's Rhododendron

Synonym(s): Rhododendron chapmanii (Alph. Wood) A. Gray

Florida native

Endemic to Florida

Endangered Florida species

U.S. Endangered species

A rare shrub of wet flatwoods, along the edges of shrub bogs or bays and between branch bays and pine ridges from Gulf to Leon Counties in the central panhandle and in Clay County in northeast Florida. The chapmanii subspecies does not occur outside of the state.
Growing to about 3 m (~10 ft.) tall and rather inconspicuous when not in bloom, this shrub has alternate, simple, entire, elliptic leaves up to 10 cm (4 in.) long. The leaves are thick and leathery, the uppersides are dark green with small dark spots above and the lower surfaces are dotted with rust-colored scales. The short petioles are usually less than 6mm (1/4 in.) long.
Flowers are typically pink, ranging from nearly white to rose-pink, with ten stamens. Five frilly petals flare out from a tubular base. The flowers bloom in showy clusters during the spring prior to new growth. The fruit is a cylindric capsule from 0.5-1.5 cm (0.2-0.6 in.) long.

Rhododendron minus is a member of the Ericaceae - Heath family.

Other species of the Rhododendron genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
  Rhododendron canescens - SWEET PINXTER AZALEA
  Rhododendron indicum - INDICA AZALEA 'Mrs. G.G. Gerbing'

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species

iNaturalist profile for this species

USDA Plant Profile for this species

Date record last modified: Jul 06, 2024