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Rhododendron periclymenoides

(Michx.) Shinners

Pink Azalea

G5Secure Found in 28 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.143277
Element CodePDERI150N0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderEricales
FamilyEricaceae
GenusRhododendron
Synonyms
Rhododendron nudiflorum(L.) Torr.Rhododendron nudiflorum var. nudiflorum
Other Common Names
Election Pink (EN) pink azalea (EN) Pinxterbloom Azalea (EN) Pinxterflower (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-07-11
Change Date1984-08-29
Edition Date2024-07-11
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Rhododendron periclymenoides is a shrub found in dry to moist woods, along streams, in thickets, and swamps of eastern North America from Vermont and Massachusetts south to Georgia and Alabama in the United States. Although threats are not widely documented, Rhododendron periclymenoides is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, and succession. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and over 1,500 occurrences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Rhododendron periclymenoides occurs in eastern North America from Vermont and Massachusetts south to Georgia and Alabama in the United States (FNA 2009). Range extent was estimated to be over 1 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations collected between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are at more than 1,500 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Rhododendron periclymenoides is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, succession, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Rhododendron periclymenoides occurs in dry to moist woods and is often found along streams, thickets, and swamps (FNA 2009).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/Woodland
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
AlabamaSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
New JerseyS5Yes
New HampshireSHYes
KentuckyS4Yes
IllinoisSNRYes
West VirginiaS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
DelawareS5Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
MarylandSNRYes
MassachusettsS2Yes
North CarolinaS5Yes
VermontS1Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
OhioS2Yes
New YorkS5Yes
Rhode IslandS1Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
MississippiS1Yes
GeorgiaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (28)
South Carolina (2)
AreaForestAcres
Big MountainSumter National Forest2,337
Ellicott Rock 2Sumter National Forest517
Tennessee (2)
AreaForestAcres
Big Laurel Branch AdditionCherokee National Forest5,577
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Virginia (21)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Brush Mountain EastJefferson National Forest4,916
Elliott KnobGeorge Washington National Forest9,380
Hoop HoleJefferson National Forest4,652
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Little AlleghanyGeorge Washington National Forest10,215
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Mill MountainGeorge Washington National Forest10,840
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
Mt. PleasantGeorge Washington National Forest8,933
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Peters Mountain Addition A (VA)Jefferson National Forest1,268
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
Three RidgesGeorge Washington National Forest4,745
Three SistersGeorge Washington National Forest8,149
West Virginia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Peters Mountain Addition A (WV)Jefferson National Forest343
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
References (5)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2009. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 8. Magnoliophyta: Paeoniaceae to Ericaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 585 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).