azalea

Standing at the head of the Fal estuary, Trelissick is one of the largest gardens in Cornwall. It was first created in the early 19th century and has grown to include a wide range of exotic plants that thrive in the mild Cornish climate. The garden is especially famous for its large collection of azaleas and rhododendrons.

Any of a group of deciduous flowering shrubs belonging to the heath family. Several species are native to Asia and North America, and many cultivated varieties have been derived from these. Azaleas are closely related to the mostly evergreen rhododendrons. (Genus Rhododendron, family Ericaceae.)

Azaleas, particularly the Japanese varieties, make fine ornamental shrubs. Several species are highly poisonous.