Rhododendron minus var. minus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carolina rhododendron |
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| A specimen in bloom at the Botanical Garden of Minsk | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Rhododendron |
| Species: | |
| Varietas: |
R. m. var. minus
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| Trinomial name | |
| Rhododendron minus var. minus |
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| Synonyms | |
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The Carolina rhododendron (scientific name: Rhododendron minus var. minus) is a beautiful flowering plant. It is also known as the Carolina azalea. This plant grows naturally in the mountains of the southeastern United States. You can find it in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Northeast Georgia. Many people in gardening often call it Rhododendron carolinianum.
Growing Carolina Rhododendrons
People love to grow Carolina rhododendrons in their gardens. They are popular because of their pretty flowers.
Special Types of Carolina Rhododendrons
Gardeners have created many special types of this plant. These are called cultivars. A cultivar is a plant that has been grown to have certain features. Some popular cultivars include 'Album', 'Carolina Gold', 'Luteum', and 'White Perfection'. Each of these has slightly different flowers or growth habits.
Creating New Rhododendron Plants
The Carolina rhododendron has also been used to make new kinds of plants. Scientists and gardeners can cross different plants. This means they mix the pollen from two different plants. When they do this, they create a hybrid. A hybrid plant has traits from both parent plants. The Carolina rhododendron was crossed with another plant called Rhododendron dauricum. This crossing created a group of popular hybrid plants known as the PJM hybrids. These hybrids are very strong and can grow well in many places.
