Rhodora flowers, shown here, have been lighting up our bogs for the past week or so.
These flowers appear in the dimness like purple flames on candelabras due to their arrival before their plant’s leaves:
The complete plant (Rhododendron canadense), also known as Canada rosebay, is one of only two azaleas that are native to Maine, according to State reports. The other is the endangered swamp (or “clammy”) azalea (Rhododendron viscosum).
Azaleas, as you probably know, are deciduous members of the rhododendron genus. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on May 18, 2022.)