The genus, Rhododendron, has over 900 different species and probably 10,000 named cultivars. They range in size from a few inches tall to giants reaching 80 feet in the air. There are both deciduous and evergreen rhododendrons. Most commonly, their flowers are in shades of white, pink, red, lavender, or purple and various bicolor types.

A point of confusion often arises over the term azalea. Azaleas are all in the genus, Rhododendron. Experts debate over what defines and azalea as separate from rhododendrons. Some look at the number of anthers in the flowers but I use a simpler classification. To me, azaleas are rhododendrons that bear flowers all along the stem while rhododendrons bear their flowers at the terminal end of branches. Again, there are both deciduous and evergreen plants in both category of rhododendrons.

Members of this genus tend to have exacting requirements in terms of site, soil and climate.