{"product_id":"swamp-azalea-pink-mist","title":"Swamp Azalea 'Pink Mist'","description":"\u003ch3 class=\"pd-title-head\"\u003e\n  \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eRhododendron viscosum\u003c\/em\u003e 'Pink Mist'\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOverview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Woodland edges, damp and low-lying beds, rain gardens, shrub borders in partial shade, pollinator and habitat plantings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenefits:\u003c\/strong\u003e Intensely clove-scented flowers that open in early summer, weeks after every other azalea has finished, blue-green summer foliage that turns orange and red in autumn, and a genuine tolerance for ground that stays wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4–9\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full Sun, Partial Sun\/Shade\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLife Cycle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deciduous Shrub\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Habit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Upright, Spreading — open branching from a slowly suckering base.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pink to White\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage Color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Blue-Green, maturing to Orange and Red in fall\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Height:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4–6 feet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Width:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4–6 feet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Early to midsummer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Slow to Moderate\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSummary\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAn azalea that blooms in June, smells like cloves, and grows happily in the wet corner of the yard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSwamp azalea is the late one. While the evergreen azaleas are putting on their show in April and May, this native is still building foliage. It waits until early summer, when the azalea season is long over and nobody is expecting it, then opens narrow tubular flowers in soft pink fading toward white. The fragrance is the point — sweet and distinctly spicy, strong enough to find the plant from across the garden on a warm evening.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Pink Mist' holds more color than the typical wild form, keeping a clear blush through the flower rather than washing out to cream. The stamens extend well past the petals, giving each cluster a light, airy look that reads as a haze at any distance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe foliage is worth its own mention: a distinctly blue-green cast through summer that sets it apart from surrounding greens, then a shift to orange and red in fall. Because the plant is deciduous, that display is the closing act rather than a footnote.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIts native habitat is the edge of swamps and low woods, which explains its tolerance for damp ground. It is one of the few flowering shrubs you can put in a wet, partly shaded spot with confidence — and one of the more valuable early-summer nectar sources for butterflies and native bees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCare\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSwamp Azalea 'Pink Mist' Care\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in full sun to partial shade. Partial shade generally suits it better in the warmer end of its range; more sun produces heavier bloom where summers are cooler.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSoil must be acidic, organic, and moisture-retentive. Swamp azalea grows naturally in boggy ground and handles periodic saturation without trouble, but it will decline quickly in alkaline soil or in hot, dry, exposed sites. Amend with peat or composted bark at planting and mulch with pine fines or shredded leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eKeep the root zone consistently moist. Roots are fine and shallow, so the plant shows drought stress fast — wilting and leaf scorch are the early signals. Mulch is not optional here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFertilize lightly in early spring with an acid-forming \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/slow-release-fertilizer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eslow release fertilizer\u003c\/a\u003e. Avoid lime and avoid anything heavy; the fine root system burns easily.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrune immediately after flowering if needed. Next year's buds form on old wood later in the season, so a late-season or spring cutback removes bloom. In most cases the plant needs only the removal of dead or crossing stems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSize\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat Size is the Swamp Azalea 'Pink Mist' for Sale Online?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur Swamp Azalea 'Pink Mist' ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/pages\/contact\" title=\"Contact Almanac Planting Co\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003econtact us\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow Large Does Swamp Azalea 'Pink Mist' Grow?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExpect roughly 4 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide at maturity, occasionally taller in ideal damp conditions. Growth is slow to moderate, so plan on several seasons to fill in. Space 4 to 5 feet apart for a connected planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAdditional Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are some common names for this plant?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe most widely used names for this plant are:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSwamp Azalea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClammy Azalea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSwamp Honeysuckle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll three refer to \u003cem\u003eRhododendron viscosum\u003c\/em\u003e. \"Clammy\" describes the sticky glandular hairs on the flower tube.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy does it bloom so much later than other azaleas?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a different species with a different schedule. Evergreen azaleas bloom on buds set the previous summer and open in April and May; swamp azalea flowers after it has leafed out, typically in June or early July. That timing is its main advantage — it extends the azalea season by a full month rather than competing with it. Related selections are in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/azaleas\"\u003eAzaleas\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan it really grow in wet soil?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Its natural habitat is swamp margins, stream banks, and low wet woods, and it tolerates periodically saturated ground better than nearly any other azalea. The one hard requirement is acidity — wet alkaline soil will not work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it native?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRhododendron viscosum\u003c\/em\u003e is native to the eastern United States, and 'Pink Mist' is a selected form of that species chosen for stronger flower color. You can browse other native selections in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/native-plants\"\u003eNative Plants of North America\u003c\/a\u003e collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill deer eat it?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDeciduous azaleas are browsed more readily than most evergreen shrubs, and new growth is the most vulnerable. In areas with real deer pressure, protect young plants for the first several seasons. Our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/collections\/deer-resistant-shrubs-evergreens\"\u003edeer-resistant shrubs and evergreens\u003c\/a\u003e are a more dependable starting point where browse is constant.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Almanac Planting Co","offers":[{"title":"3 Gallon \/ Fall '26 Pre-Order","offer_id":47492643389602,"sku":"PN-swampazaleapm-3-1yr","price":79.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0586\/9374\/6850\/files\/PinkMistSwampAzalea3.jpg?v=1786023443","url":"https:\/\/almanacplanting.com\/products\/swamp-azalea-pink-mist","provider":"Almanac Planting Co","version":"1.0","type":"link"}