Linda Guy Deciduous Rhododendron. This is a seedling of Dr. Gene Aromi of Mobile, AL who was a retired education professor at the University of Southern Alabama. He took Exbury hybrids from England and crossed them with southern natives to develop larger flowered, heat tolerant, fragrant deciduous Azaleas. The 'Linda Guy' was named for a good friend and colleague in the nursery trade. This cultivar has one of the largest flowers and panicles of any of these hybrids. It is a stunning pink with a yellow blotch and it is quite vigorous. Flower buds are formed on the previous years growth as prominent terminal rounded yet pointed heads. These deciduous azaleas are often referred to in the South as "honeysuckle" when found in the wild, because of their tubular fragrant flowers, but of course there is no relation to Lonicera. These specimens are best grown in part sun and planted very shallow with some organic amendments. Once well established, these plants are quite drought tolerant, but for best growth and bloom, one needs to provide uniform moisture through dry periods.
Zones 6-9
