An Easter visitor

This Alabama azalea (Rhododendron alabamense) is a woody, deciduous shrub native to Alabama and Georgia. It has white flowers with a lemon-yellow blotch on the upper petal and a lemony fragrance that makes it popular with pollinators like this giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) who enjoyed an Easter visit in the Forest Home area. Many types of native azaleas grow wild in our area or have been cultivated into the landscape providing a lovely pop of colors including red, orange, pink, lavender, and white. They are sometimes called wild honeysuckle but can be toxic to humans. (Kathy Pickens | The Standard)