This member of the huge Ericaceous Family with Rhododendrons, Heath, and Blueberries, is native to coastal North & South Carolina and to two spots in the Appalachian Mountains in western North Carolina in bogs, swamps, near springs, dunes, barrens, and glades. It is very flood tolerant and shade tolerant. It grows in acid, wet to average soils. The leaves are alternate, simple, 1 to 3 inches long, with a glaucous, gray bloom on both upper and lower surfaces, being especially bluish-white underneath. It can get a red or purple fall color late in autumn. The small, waxy, white flowers are bell-like as blueberry flowers in nodding clusters on one side of the stalk, blooming in June. The brown, round capsule fruit appears in late summer until early spring. Dusty Zenobia forms colonies by its shallow stoloniferous stems and it is easy to transplant. It is offered by some native plant and specialty nurseries. I've only seen three specimens: two at Jenkins Arboretum in southeast Pennsylvania, one on a slope and one near the big pond, and a bigger plant at Morris Arboretum in Philly. Beautiful and interesting plant! I bet this would look great in a big tub with peaty, acid soil, if one can't grow it in their yard due to heavy, less acid or alkaline soil.

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