Rosebay and Catawba rhododendron are native rhododendrons. These are at Meeks Park in Blairsville.  Native Rhodies are common all along the Blue Ridge Parkway and into the Great Smoky Mountains.  They grow all along our roads, sometimes creating dense thickets.  

 

Rosebay blooms white, and the Catawba blooms pink.  We'll have to wait til they bloom to see which ones these are.  The peak blooming time is usually June and July, and you can see they have already set their flower buds for next year's event.  These leaves look great right now, but they react to freezing weather by bending downward, and rolling into tight coils.  Some of the older locals claim to be able to tell the temperature by looking at the angle of the rhododendron leaves.  Be sure to look at them when it gets really cold, it's interesting!!  

 

There are a lot of cultivated rhododendron, and they usually bloom in May,  around Mother's Day.  There are hundreds of beautiful ones planted at the Fair Grounds in Hiawassee, GA.  We love to go there when they are in bloom:  it's spectacular!!  You can also see wildflowers in bloom about the same time as the rhododendron.  We've seen Jack in the pulpit, trilliums, Mayapple and snowdrops in those gardens.

 

Gosh, it's pretty early to be dreaming of spring;  it's only the first day of winter!!!  Can't help it.

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!