Find rhodora in this image.
It may be my paranoid imagination, but it seems that every year I see fewer rhodora plants in areas other than parklands or other protected preserves. Rhodora (Rhododendron canadense), also called Canada rosebay, is one of only two wild azaleas that are native to Maine.
The other native azalea is the unfortunately-named clammy azalea (Rhododendron viscosum). It has been described by Maine officials as a “rare plant” in the state, which is the northern limit of its range. But clammy azaleas are not rare to our south.
To be fair about my concerns for rhodora, she does seem intentionally evasive as well as wayward and wild. She likes wet feet and tangled bogs. Her graceful purple-pink flowers often go unseen by people, which apparently is fine with her.
But, the U.S. is losing her favorite wandering places at an alarming pace, and I worry about whether her lifestyle is disappearing. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on May 20, 2025.)