Rhodora blooms are appearing in our bogs, as you see from these images taken yesterday. These delicate flowers appear in the shady areas before their plants fully leaf-out, which seems to give them an interesting candelabra effect.
The 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 17, 2023.)