Rhododendron canescens 'Varnadoe's Pink' Bill Cawthon and once established the groundcover

and once established the groundcover shrugs off drought and the reflected heat of paving and stone

The summersweets are among the most fragrant of American shrubs

As with other members of the heath family

What is not in doubt is the kitchen use: the pungent leaves stand in for oregano in Mexican and Southwestern cooking

dressed in lustrous dark green leaves that turn clear yellow in fall

Rhododendron canescens 'Varnadoe's Pink' Bill Cawthon and once established the groundcover'Varnadoe's Pink' is a choice dark pink selection of the native Piedmont azalea, Rhododendron canescens, chosen and grown by the late Aaron Varnadoe of Colquitt, Georgia, a great native azalea grower and genuine Southern character. Where the wild species varies from pale to deep pink, this selection holds a rich, abundant dark pink, and the plant has become a popular favorite for that reliable color and a good habit and foliage. The selection is