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NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Rhododendron pilosum [= Menziesia pilosa]

Minniebush, Hairy Minnie-bush

Scientific Name:

Rhododendron pilosum [= Menziesia pilosa]

Genus:

Rhododendron

Species Epithet:

pilosum

Common Name:

Minniebush, Hairy Minnie-bush

Plant Type

Shrub

Life Cycle

Perennial

Plant Family

Ericaceae (Heath Family)

Native/Alien:

NC Native

Size:

3-6 ft.

Bloom Color(s):

White, Red, Yellow, Green

Light:

Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day, Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day

Soil Moisture:

Dry, Moist

Bloom Time:

May, June, July

Growing Area:

Mountains, Piedmont

Habitat Description:

Heath balds, bogs, rocky summits, and rocky woodlands, mostly at high elevations. A Southern and Central Appalachian endemic (Weakley 2015). Uncommon in NC Mountains, rare in Piedmont.

Leaf Arrangement:

Alternate

Leaf Retention:

Deciduous

Leaf Type:

Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like

Leaf Form:

Simple

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Wildlife Value:

No known wildlife value

Landscape Value:

Suitable for home landscapes

State Rank:

S4: Apparently secure (*Key)

Global Rank:

G4 - Apparently Secure, G5 - Secure (*Key)

Notes:

"The leaves of this species have an unusual white tip, making them easily recognizable to this taxon." Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center

Flower

Minniebush is found on heath balds, in bogs and rocky woodlands in the western part of the state. It is a Southern and Central Appalachian endemic.

image

Paynter, June 2011

Developing fruit

image

Leaves

image

Close-up of leaf

When not in bloom, the prominent mucronate tip and the bundled hairs on the midrib of the leaf's underside help separate this species from the Rhododendrons.

image

Note the small scales on the underside of the leaves along the midrib - they are diagnostic for this species.

Haywood County, NC

The Scientific Name is Rhododendron pilosum [= Menziesia pilosa]. You will likely hear them called Minniebush, Hairy Minnie-bush. This picture shows the Note the small scales on the underside of the leaves along the midrib - they are diagnostic for this species. of Rhododendron pilosum [= Menziesia pilosa]

Larry Mellichamp

Medium-sized, deciduous shrub growing along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Jackson Co., NC

The Scientific Name is Rhododendron pilosum [= Menziesia pilosa]. You will likely hear them called Minniebush, Hairy Minnie-bush. This picture shows the Medium-sized, deciduous shrub growing along the Blue Ridge Parkway of Rhododendron pilosum [= Menziesia pilosa]

Bettina Darveaux

Close-up of the light-colored, sharp point at the apex of the leaf (mucronate leaf tip).

Jackson Co., NC

The Scientific Name is Rhododendron pilosum [= Menziesia pilosa]. You will likely hear them called Minniebush, Hairy Minnie-bush. This picture shows the Close-up of the light-colored, sharp point at the apex of the leaf (mucronate leaf tip). of Rhododendron pilosum [= Menziesia pilosa]

Bettina Darveaux

Links:

USDA PLANTS Database Record



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