Quick answer: Swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum) is native to 7 states. What's commonly sold under this name is often a bred variety or the wrong species — see the lookalike alert below. No live listing of the true species was found as of 16 Sep 2026.
Photo: Photo by David J. Stang, Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
Where it's native
Listed in the register as native to these states. Click a state for its full native-plant guide.
Growing conditions
From the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Database.
| Sun | Part Shade |
|---|---|
| Water | High water, Wet, flood tolerant |
| Soil | Wet, acidic soil |
| Bloom | Bloom May-Aug |
| Height | Up to 5 ft, sometimes 15 ft |
| Wildlife value | Low wildlife value, special value to bumble bees, attracts birds, all parts highly toxic |
All plant parts highly toxic if ingested; symptoms: salivation, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weakness, progressive paralysis; honey from flowers may also be toxic
Lookalike alert
⚠ No fix found 16 Sep 2026 — no genuine Amazon.com listing found; searches return generic/cultivar Rhododendron and Encore Azalea products.
No live seed or plant listing found as of 16 Sep 2026. That means our last search didn't surface one — not that the plant is unavailable. Try a regional native-plant nursery.
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