Thanks to Daniel Mosquin for putting me onto the late-blooming rhododendrons in the Carolinian Garden, so native to the eastern US. This white Rhododendron arborescens has the common names Smooth Azalea (lacking hairs on the underside of the leaves, though it seems to have them everywhere else) and Sweet Azalea (for its fragrance). It's supposed to have red stamens; red-tipped will have to do here. These are all Rhododendron calendulaceum, Flame Azaleas, so-called because the expanded buds are supposed to look like candle flames. The especially long stamens are an identifying feature. Shirley Willard took the habit photo.
